Endangered Engagement
by mississippimudpiecraves
Summary: Shikamaru's and Temari's engagement is threatened by the Suna council. How will they overcome the obstacles that come in their way?
1. Chapter 1

**This prompt is for spilihp17 who suggested I try writing a multi-chaptered story. To be honest, I am more comfortable with short stories so doing this is quite challenging for me. But since the person who asked for this is my first fanfiction friend ever and who has been very supportive since my first stories, I cannot very well deny the request. Plus, I believe this will be a wonderful experience. And I think I made this author wait long enough too.**

 **Please do check out spilihp17's lovely ShikaTema stories!**

 **As of now this story is T-rated, but it will most likely turn M at some point. Just a warning.**

"We cannot allow this engagement," the elderly head of the Suna council announced at the round table. The old woman spoke in a soft but firm tone. Despite her lack in height, she held her head high and her back ramrod straight. Her gaze was daring and set on the kazekage's clear eyes.

At that, the Kazekage stiffened but returned her gaze coolly. After a few seconds of tense atmosphere passed, he quietly asked, "Why is that, Chiyose-san?"

"My Lord, with all due respect, alliances mean nothing. You know that. Precisely the reason why we gather all candidates in one village for the promotional chuunin exams. To gauge and monitor the skills of the strongest and most able of genins per village."

 _That sounded quite practiced_ , Gaara thought. He knew he had to be extra careful with his words. In front of someone who knew all her lines and probably predicted his responses, he was blind and ill-prepared. "Pray tell... what is the connection of that to this situation?"

The old lady searched his face intently before speaking evenly as if to ensure the clarity of her speech. "My point is why should we believe that Konoha won't use this Nara as a spy? Marrying the Kazekage's sister would after all put him into a very convenient position to do so."

A sharp gasp sounded. Everyone turned to look at the woman who sat next to the Kazekage and wore four short pigtails as she stood up, scraping her chair back soundly. Her body was shaking in rage, her hands were clenched on top of the table. Her gaze was piercing as she spat, "How dare you insinuate such a thing?"

The elderly woman held back a flinch, bowed slightly and said, "Lady Temari, with all due respect, as much as I would like to believe that this is a love match—" Temari scoffed. "we must consider the consequences in terms of political disadvantages."

Temari gritted her teeth. "Why do you need to look at it in a negative way? Can't we easily call this a political marriage? Won't a political marriage work more to your advantage than not?" The fire in her teal eyes shone bright and her entire body was rigid.

Despite the nervous and frightened looks among the council members, the unfazed elder continued to speak, "That may be correct if we are a civilian village but I'm afraid we are not. We will be at a disadvantage especially since Konoha has proved itself to have some of the strongest ninjas during the shinobi war. What if this move is their way of slowly taking over the other villages? What's to stop them?"

Temari shook her head. "You're overthinking things. We all fought on the same side. And Shikamaru has never done anything to deserve anything of this talk. And I am offended that you would think this man has ulterior motives to marrying me."

Gaara spoke up. "I agree with Temari. I owe my life to Naruto as it is as well. In fact we all owe our lives to him. I trust him not to do any such thing."

"My apologies but I did not mean it in that way, Lady Temari. And yes, My Lord, but Naruto-sama is just one person and does not have a complete hold on their council decisions. However pure he may be, I cannot say the same for the others in positions of power. Danzo was a perfect example. And however good Naruto-sama is, he is not exactly the smartest there is, what if they use his pureness and turns him against us? In the guise of helping his own village? Is it not possible at all in your minds?"

They could not utter a single word. Until the third sibling opened his mouth. Kankuro spoke up in an agitated tone, "So what are you saying? You're forbidding my sister to marry Nara? Are you freaking serious? You do know you need to have the Kazekage's permission to do that? And you know that he would never ruin his sister's happiness!"

"Yes, of course. We would never go so far as to forbid it. However we did hold this meeting so as to highlight the urgency of the matter. We hope you do not just strike this out of hand, Kazekage-sama. Because if you do, we will have no choice but to insist on the matter."

The Kazekage stood up. "That will be enough for today. I will consider the matter on my own time. We will reconvene in a few days. You're all dismissed."

The council members all filed out after bowing before the kazekage. The head of the council pursed her lips before following suit at the blatant stares of the siblings.

"Are you okay, sister?" Gaara asked immediately, concern laced in his words.

She shook her head, face stricken. "What are we going to do, Gaara? They will be persistent. They think they're in the right of it. And if it were anyone else but Shikamaru, I would also think the same way they do. That's the worst of it all." She sighed in frustration, gripping her ponytails without thinking.

"But it is Shikamaru! So this is all moot!" Kankuro nearly yelled.

"It's not that simple. Once they mention espionage, everything becomes complicated. You cannot trust anyone. It's as simple as that," Gaara said calmly. "No matter how much we trust Shikamaru and that he has the best intentions for our sister, we can never fully convince the council of that. Their minds are already prejudiced to the claims of that elder."

There was a moment of silence among the siblings.

Temari started laughing out of the blue. Kankuro looked at her as if she was crazy. Gaara looked at her with worry.

"It's just that Shikamaru always liked to joke that it would be much less troublesome to just elope than do things the traditional way. I am so tempted to take him up on his offer right now." She grinned like a loon as she pictured his reaction if she had agreed to his offer.

"Don't you dare, Temari! A sister of the Kazekage not doing things the proper way would have our parents rolling in the grave," Kankuro grumbled.

"I agree with Kankuro, sister. Please do refrain from doing such a thing," Gaara said, eyeing his sister warily.

"Geez, you guys can't take a joke. I need all the laughter I need right now, thank you very much," Temari groused.

"Don't worry, sister. As Kazekage, I will not allow them to do this to you," Gaara said. He looked at her in a solemn manner which caused her to break out into a warm smile.

"I know I can count on you, Gaara. You're the best brother any sister can have," Temari said as she placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Hey, I'm right here!" Kankuro complained.

The other two simply laughed.

Oooooooooo

As Temari made way towards her room, she noticed the head of the council by her door. She had a sudden urge to commit an act of violence at the sight of the elderly woman.

"What do you want?" she said curtly, as she crossed her arms impatiently and also to prevent that urge from showing itself. Being sister of the Kazekage did have its downsides.

"Might I have a word with you, Lady Temari?" Chiyose asked in that same irritating soft voice, head slightly bowed as they were taught to talk to royalty.

"You're already talking, aren't you? What is it?" Temari said irritably, wishing she could at least do something juvenile like pull at her hair if she was not allowed brute violence.

The woman hesitated, sensing Temari's frustration. "I did not mean to offend you at all, Lady Temari. I said what was needed to be said. If truth be told, if the Kazekage refuses to see what's right in front of him, well that is too bad for him." The tone of her voice became increasingly hard and determined.

Temari felt a chilly wind stab her in the chest. "What are you saying? Are you threatening the Kazekage? Watch your mouth." She glared at the woman, causing the woman to step back.

But the woman found the will to carry on. "Of course not, my lady. However, if the Kazekage insists on protecting his sister before his people, then a lot of people would start questioning his loyalty and his ability to rule. Bias should hold no part of major council decisions, don't you think so?"

Temari stilled for a few seconds, absorbing that, before saying slowly, "Are you saying Gaara might lose his position as Kazekage if he takes my side?"

There was a hint of a triumphant glint in the woman's eyes and a smug tilt at the mouth as she said, "Well... a council is built to have a sense of check and balance. If the Kazekage does not do his job well, the council has the right to intervene."

"You'd go to any lengths to have your way, won't you?" A sense of dread filled her.

"Anything for the protection of the village, dear. I do hope my meaning is clear, my lady. Have a good day."

The small witch strutted away while she just stared like an imbecile. She really wanted to punch a wall right about now. But the urge dropped as soon as it came. A hollow feeling entered and spread throughout her body, causing it to numb.

 _So... Gaara or Shikamaru, huh. Damn._

A/N: I am kinda unsure of this chapter but I hope you guys still enjoyed it. Anyway, the next chapter is most likely the ShikaTema confrontation!


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much to everyone who favorited and followed the story! You guys made me so happy!**

 **Special thanks to those who reviewed: fanofthisfiction, Sabaku no Sandra, spilihp17, TheLegendWrites, Guest, Lock on Lockon, Rose-Aki, Sfrostwolf, QveenLo, and SariaKasumi. Your reviews made me smile and work harder for this chapter!**

Her tessen struck straight through the air before her at her chest level. Withdrawing, she spun to her left and swung sideways to make a fine arc at the same level. Flipping backwards and charging forwards, she jumped high into the air before descending and driving down her tessen with all her weight behind it. It struck and dug into the ground with ferocious power. The earth shook and trembled.

She was huffing and puffing when someone spoke behind her.

"I think you have done her enough damage, sister," a mildly amused voice sounded.

Startled that she didn't sense anyone, she turned and relaxed at the sight of her youngest brother garbed in his Kazekage clothes. He was looking at her in a curious manner.

She swiped at the sweat that formed on her face and chuckled. "Was my target so obvious?"

"It was to me," Gaara said simply.

"Am I so transparent to you then?"

"I would like to think so. Yes."

She laughed lightly then smiled at her brother. "Would you like to spar?"

Gaara raised a brow at her. "When you are in this state? No, thank you."

Temari scoffed, "Oh please. Don't patronize me. Come on."

"I am not patronizing you. I just mean that you are emotionally charged and it is not wise to challenge someone like that."

"Pfft. Fine, sit next to me then. Stay with me while I wind down from my charge."

"Okay."

Temari plopped to the ground and planted her tessen at her side while Gaara sat down next to her gingerly. Temari turned to stare at her brother. The things that the old lady said flashed through her mind. She clenched her teeth.

Gaara spoke with furrowed brows, "You are not worried, are you? About the council? You know I will take care of them so there is no need to worry."

She managed to unhinge her jaw and smiled while a pang hit her chest. "Of course not. You're the Kazekage. You can do it. I was just letting out my frustrations at that woman."

Gaara gave her a tiny smile. "I am sure she would shudder to see how you would do her in."

She smirked then hesitated. But she needed to do this. "Do you enjoy being Kazekage, Gaara?"

Gaara turned his face to look at her fully. He paused as if digesting her question then slowly said, "Do I enjoy it? Hmm. I never thought about it. But when I look at the people who are no longer afraid of me and trust me to make the best decisions for them, I do not only feel a sense of duty but also a sense of warmth."

"Warmth?"

"When I have time and take a walk around the village, the children wave at me and their faces look excited. The adults greet me enthusiastically and give me the brightest of smiles. It is a huge change of environment from when Shukaku consumed me. It is an experience I cherish."

Temari found herself smiling gently. Gaara tilted his head at her. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, just curious. But it makes me happy to hear that." She did expect such an answer from him but was not prepared for what it made her feel. It was an odd mixture of contentment and resignation.

"What I said earlier about decision-making. That includes you, sister."

"What do you mean?" She threw him a questioning look.

"I mean that I would try my best to make the best decisions for you as well. This situation in particular." Gaara looked at her with a strange ember in his eyes. And at that moment, she knew her decision was clear.

She chuckled, hiding the twinge of pain she felt. "You're the best." Then she ruffled his hair, making him grimace. Gaara muttered, "Are you allowed to do that to the Kazekage?"

Her laugh boomed out. "You will always be my little brother thus I have the intrinsic right to do such things." Gaara scowled playfully until he saw her face become serious.

"Hey Gaara? Can you give me a few days for a short visit to Konoha?"

0000000000

"What did you just say?" Shikamaru asked, disbelief rang in his voice. He stared at his fiancee as if he never saw the likes of her before. After hearing what she said, she might as well be a completely different person.

"You heard me. This whole engagement is a joke in the first place," Temari said with a maddening smirk on her face. "You really didn't expect that the sister of the Kazekage would settle for the likes of you? Because kami forbid we actually got married, I would be nuptially stepping down. And that doesn't really look good on the records of the Sabaku clan, does it? Plus why would I give up all the privileges of royalty?" She raised her brow to direct a look of superiority at the black-haired leaf ninja.

He met her eyes evenly, implicitly accepting the challenge. "You're lying," he said flatly. "Tell me why someone like you would deign to waste a second of their precious time on someone they consider a lazy ass?"

She snickered and his lips pressed into a thin line in a vague display of annoyance.

Temari said with mocking mirth, "That's easy. You may not be royalty. But you're of noble clan. Your family is privy to privileged information."

"You're telling me you dated me just for information?" he drawled out, annoying Temari with his characteristic tempo.

She retorted in a sharp tone, "Don't act dumb, Nara. You know as well as I that in this day and age, information is everything. Years ago, brute force might be the rule but now it's information that will give any village a political, social and economic advantage." The smirk widened infuriatingly.

"So you're saying you used me," he put it mildly. Considering what his fiancée, or ex-fiancee, just confessed, one would think he would start lashing out at her. Or at the very least, throw a glare at her. But he did neither. In fact, he was gazing at her rather oddly.

"The genius does comprehend quite quickly." Temari clapped her hands once. "So we're done here, yes? Good." She turned and walked away. Up until a few meters when she felt that familiar sensation of being restrained. As if her entire body was bound by an invisible force.

"Let go, Nara," she said through gritted teeth as she felt a mix of trepidation and anticipation run through her. Trepidation because of the possibility that he would touch her and anticipation because of the certainty that she would let him.

"We weren't quite done," Shikamaru said plainly. He maneuvered his shadows so that she would turn back around to look at him. There was a darkening in his obsidian eyes that made her wish she could shut her eyes against them. But that was a cowardly move and Temari of the Sand and Wind Mistress did not do cowardly.

He covered the distance between them in a surprisingly swift move, leaving her anchored on her spot. There was a beat of purposeful and suspenseful silence before he initiated his opening move. Raising his hand to her face, her movements mirrored his.

"What are you doing, Nara?" she muttered. He gave no indication that he heard her nor did he give an answer.

Cupping her cheek, he gently brushed his thumb across her lips. Her thumb against his lips. He could feel her warm breath against the pad of his thumb. She fought the shivers that crept up her spine from his breath that misted on her thumb.

Then he slid his hand down her face, tortuously slow. As if he was caressing each and every one of her nerve endings when all he was doing was making for a straight path to her neck. His palm pressed at the side of her neck and his thumb brushed up against her throat and rested by her pulse point.

At that moment, she felt her entire body burning. Then he spoke, breaking the spell he wove over her in a matter of seconds.

He murmured, "Dilated pupils, slight flush, rapid pulse. Doesn't look like signs of someone who wants to throw me away like a rusty kunai." A slight smirk curved his face.

Her eyes widened in realization then immediately narrowed. The flush deepened. Whether due to embarrassment or rage, he did not dare guess.

"Let me go, Nara." Her hand remained at his neck.

He threw her an amused look. She glowered, irritation bubbling within.

"I've let go of the jutsu for a few seconds now."

She stiffened then pried her hand away as if his skin scorched her. "T-that was... They were definite signs of anger! To hold a woman hostage like that..."

"It's not like you're a defenceless woman."

She glared daggers at him. Then she moved closer, jaw clenched. "If my words have no effect on you, then perhaps this will."

He did not have a chance to move out of the way. She threw a punch with tremendous force at his belly that he doubled over.

"Fuck," he gasped out as he dropped to his knees.

"Did you really think that I would drop my shinobi life to be a housewife? Did you expect me to play house while you go around and do missions that I am more than capable of? Fret about while waiting for you to return? Welcome you with loving arms and a hot meal when you do return? You must be out of your mind. Fuck you, Nara."

Then she sprinted until she disappeared around the nearby building. As soon as she reached her apartment, she slammed the door shut and leaned her back against it.

Her body slumped and she slid to the floor, knees propped up and feet flat on the floor. She touched her fingertips to her mouth.

"Dammit Shikamaru, don't make this harder than it has to be," she whispered.

Then she closed her eyes to block out the world and all the injustice it contained.

0000000000

When Shikamaru felt his breath come back to his lungs, he sat up and sighed, rubbing his stomach. Chuckles spilled helplessly from his lips.

When he wound down, he murmured to himself, "You've not changed, Tem. Still using violent means to express your feelings. Nope, we're definitely not done."

He formed his hands in his trademark thinking position and stayed that way for a few minutes. Then his eyes popped open when he reached a decision. "Right. Time to pack."

He pulled himself up and started heading home. He muttered, "I hate packing. And travelling. And moving in general."

Despite his words, there was a solid look of determination in his eyes that nobody has seen since the shinobi war.

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this one.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the delay, guys. I meant to update every week but last week was full of events that I was unable to find time to write.**

 **I would like to thank the additional people who favorited and followed this story! That really warms my heart!**

 **And of course special thanks to reviewers: iamsuchadonut, spilihp17, Guest 1, Guest 2, Lock on Lockon, fanofthisfiction, QveenLo, Sabaku no Sandra, Rose-aki, shikamaru-is-bae, Bruxinhah ShikaTaty, BeNICEeatRICExx, Acru9837, and Temamaru. Hugs to you all! :)**

Before Shikamaru went home, he found his feet took him on a detour. An array of memorial stones faced him and he made a beeline for his father's.

"Hey, old man. How's it going over there?" Shikamaru dropped and sat indian style in front of his father's stone. A breeze whistled by, rustling the leaves on the nearby trees. His eyes closed for a moment as if hearing his father's message through the wind.

"Dad, I think Temari is in trouble. But for some reason, she won't confide in me." He placed his hands behind him to prop himself up and leaned back. His body instinctively shifted towards the sky and his dark eyes glued to the familiar vision. The clouds appeared to glow an unbelievable white and its background a brilliant blue. But even that failed to cheer up his spirits.

"I really need some fatherly advice right about now. 'Cause you were right that time, y'know. 'Bout how the toughest of women can have a gentle smile." His gaze dropped back down to the stone as the memory of that conversation played in his head. Back then, it was inconceivable that he would marry someone like his scary mother. But both his father and fate easily proved him wrong. The first time he witnessed the unrestrained, wildly stunning smile that Temari flashed at him was certainly a catalyst to his fall. But what a fall it was.

"Yeah, your lazy ass son fell for a troublesome woman. Like that's a surprise to you. Bet you saw that one coming a mile away." From far away, a series of wind chimes rang, not unlike the sound of laughter. If he strained his ears, perhaps he might actually hear the distant echoes of his father's rough laughter. But that was some wishful thinking that he could not indulge in at present time no matter how much he desired it.

Shifting himself so that he could place his hands on top of the curve of the stone as if it could somehow transmit strength from the soul of his father, he said grimly, "What's important now is protecting that smile. Guide me, dad."

0000000000

Shikamaru almost finished stuffing his travelling bag when his mother peeked in.

"Where are you going, son?" Yoshino asked curiously.

"Suna." He continued to pack, avoiding looking at his mother.

"For how long exactly?" Yoshino's motherly instincts started tingling. That pointed avoidance was quite telling. She held herself back from interrogating her child, wishing that he would come to her on her own.

"Not sure." Then he said under his breath, "As long as it takes."

"Did something happen between you and Temari?" Yoshino asked, worry coloring her tone. She could not help herself from asking, knowing from experience that Shikamaru got rarely bothered by anything serious.

"No, nothing," he said too quickly. He almost hit himself for being too obvious. He looked out of the corner of his eyes to gauge his mother's reaction.

Yoshino paused, considering calling him out on his lie but decided against it. "Hmm, okay. I'll just prepare dinner."

He wanted to heave a sigh of relief but something clawed at his insides and would not let him be. As his mother was turning away, he called out, "Mom, wait."

"Yes?"

He visibly hesitated. This was his mother, for goodness sake. Approaching her with this topic would of course make him uncomfortable. "What do you do when someone you've known for a long time suddenly acts as if they don't care about you but you know for a fact they still do?"

It was like dawn came to his mother's face. From a look of realization to a thoughtful expression, Yoshino came into the room and sunk onto his bed. "That's quite a mouthful. Did Temari reject you?"

"Mom, please." He was starting to regret this. Discomfort and embarrassment made him squirm. He did not ever think that he would have this type of discussion with his mother.

Taking pity on her son, she replied, "Well of course I'd try my best to find out the reason. I'd be relentless. I'd chase them until everything's solved between us. I would do everything especially if it's for the one I love. I know it sounds cheesy but that's how it is. I don't think I could have been as happy as I was if it were not for Shikaku."

"Hmm." Shikamaru's expression remained carefully blank though it softened a bit at the mention of his father.

Knowing that her son was absorbing every word she was saying, she continued, "Whatever happened, Temari loves you. And she needs you as much as you do her. If she's not herself right now, then all the more that she needs you by her side now. Whatever obstacle she is facing, it is best that you face it together so you have a better fighting chance. If you don't, then it might become the greatest regret of your life. Okay, dear? Oh, I need to start cooking."

Yoshino was almost out of the door when Shikamaru said, "Mom... thanks."

With a soft expression and an even softer tone of voice, Yoshino uttered, "Good luck, son."

0000000000

He was making his way towards the gates when a shrill voice rang out, "Shikamaru! Wait!"

A blonde grabbed him by the shoulders and jerked him around to face her. She shouted into his face, making him want to cover his ears, "Your mother said Temari dumped you!"

He almost face-faulted. "Thanks a lot, mother," he muttered.

"So are you going to Suna now? Are you going to win her back? Oh my goodness, that is so romantic! I never thought I'd see the day that Shikamaru would do something so romantic!" Stars danced in Ino's eyes as she jumped up and down in excitement.

The other boy who came with Ino grinned. Chouji quipped, "I can't believe it myself. He's actually going to do something so troublesome for a girl."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at his childhood friends. But he could not help the blush that overcame his cheeks. Turning his face away, he said, "Tch. If you guys can't say anything helpful, I'm leaving."

"Wait, why did she dump you?" Ino suddenly asked with concern. Chouji's grin fell.

Shikamaru sighed, having expected the question. He said simply, "She said she was just using me."

Ino's eyes rounded incredulously and she squeaked, "That's ridiculous! She was obviously lying."

Shikamaru smiled a bit at that. Also he remembered how he uncovered Temari's falsehood and had to resist a full blown grin. Nodding, he said, "Yeah. That's why I'm going to Suna to find out the real reason."

"Shikamaru, you can do it! I'm sure you'll be able to wear her down easy! She won't be able to resist!" Ino exclaimed, gripping his shoulders hard.

"Yeah. I'm sure you can win her back in no time, buddy," Chouji said with an encouraging smile.

"Something tells me it won't be that easy," Shikamaru murmured.

"Why?" Ino asked, worry knitting her brows.

"Just a hunch. Anyway, I have to be going."

"Sure you don't want us to come with you?" Chouji asked, equally worried.

Shikamaru shook his head. "No, you guys are needed here. But thanks guys, really."

Both Ino and Chouji beamed. Shikamaru shot them an appreciative glance before turning away.

As he started to head towards the gates once more, another ear-splitting voice called out to him, "Shikamaru, wait for me! I need to tell you something!"

Shikamaru turned to see another blonde friend of his run up to him. "Naruto, what is it? Something the matter?"

"Gaara said to check up on you," Naruto huffed out.

"You're in contact with Gaara? And why would he say that?"

"Well, Gaara and I exchange letters every now and then since he considers me his first real friend and all and also to stay updated with his sister's health when she's over here. But never mind that now. What you need to know is that the Suna council is threatening to dissolve your engagement!" Naruto hissed furiously.

"What?!" came from Ino's and Chouji's appalled faces. Clearly they never entertained such a scenario to happen. They both turned to look at Shikamaru's reaction. He was strangely nonresponsive.

"Shikamaru! Didn't you hear what Naruto said? The Suna council doesn't want you and Temari to get together! This is horrible!" Ino said, an upset expression on her face.

"I thought it would be something like that," Shikamaru murmured. He already knew there was that possibility. But now that it was confirmed, his mind started devising hundreds of strategies and tactics at lightning speed and in the case of multitude of contingencies.

"Oh," Ino said as she exchanged anxious looks with Chouji.

"And he's afraid that Temari might have said something to you to keep you from knowing. Did she?" Naruto said with wide eyes. Ino and Chouji waited for his answer intently even though they already knew the answer to that question.

"Gaara knows his sister well." At the thought that Temari was bearing the entire burden on herself, his chest constricted almost painfully. "Troublesome woman," Shikamaru whispered. "Wait for me."


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry guys! The past week was pretty busy for me. I'm sorry if it looks like I won't be able to keep to that weekly update, but I will of course try to update as quickly as I possibly can!**

 **Thank you for the additional followers to the story! I am really happy that you guys are interested in this story!**

 **Special thanks for those who reviewed the last chapter and for those who did recently for any and all chapters: fanofthisfiction, ALIASTESIN, QveenLo, SariaKasumi, GUYFawke, Lock on Lockon, Rose-Aki, shikamaru-is-bae, spilihp17, Yu, SnowHusky20, TooLazyToLogIn1.**

 **Yu, regarding your question, thank you for that and I actually thought of the same thing after I posted the chapter. Haha. I will take care of that in the following chapter hopefully.**

Chapter Four

Moonlight shined through the glass panes, illuminating the hallway where Gaara strolled down. It was a habit he took to since he was a young boy, consumed by darkness, and he was never able to quite shake it off. As always, myriad thoughts passed through his mind. But this night like the several nights before it, his thoughts came back to the situation of his sister's and Shikamaru's engagement.

Love was a concept that haunted him since childhood. When he was a mere child, isolated by the villagers of the Sand by order of his late father who was also the former Kazekage, his uncle Yashamaru told him that only love could heal a wounded heart. He went through hellish and monstrous trials to understand and grasp the meaning of love. And he finally managed to find it in his family and friends and eventually his village.

This bond between his sister and Shikamaru however seemed to be the type of love he had yet to fully comprehend. This so called romantic love seemed as powerful, if not more, than familial love. It certainly had his sister act in ways that he had never thought possible.

Recently though, it had made his sister strangely detached. Forlorn he could almost describe her if he did not fear her punishment for calling her so.

As he neared the library, he saw the door ajar with a bit of light shining through. Gently so as to make the least amount of noise, he pushed the door open. Temari was surrounded by large texts and such but she herself was fast asleep with her head in her folded arms on a wooden desk. It was a curious scene since his older sister would usually not be caught dead in such a circumstance. Being caught with her guard down like this was unacceptable and would shoot down her pride a peg or two.

Seeing that, he returned to his room, took a blanket and came back to the library. He carefully laid the blanket over his sister, tucking about her shoulders. Before leaving, he caught the words on some of the titles of the texts she had about her.

Marriage laws. Engagement policies. Intervillage fraternization laws. Etc.

Somehow he managed a smile. His sister was definitely no pushover, that's for sure.

As he left the room, he continued his earlier musings.

 _Uncle Yashamaru, what if love itself is the cause of a broken heart, how will it heal then?If the solution is also the cause, what can one do with one's wounded heart? Is there perhaps a secondary solution to love? Or mayhap you meant different types of love can be various sorts of medicines? Is familial love sufficient to recover a heart that is wounded by romantic love? And vice versa? Or perhaps love borne from a close friendship could be the source of healing? Or would you say one has to find another source of romantic love? But is not one destined to only have one romantic love? That red string of fate, they say? Or is it merely a fanciful myth designed for bedtime stories for young starry-eyed innocents?_

 _If all those presumptions are proven wrong, is it still possible for the wounded heart to heal? I should hope so for my sister's sake. I do not think Temari is the sort who would throw her life away because of such a thing. It is clear that she is still fighting. But she can put up quite a facade. I do not want to see a fighting outer shell yet have a deteriorating inner self. Uncle, I do wish you could tell me the answer. Because as of now, I can only hope I am doing the proper thing._

0000000000

Two nights ago

Temari glared at the ceiling of her bedroom wall. She tried everything to fall asleep. Exercising, counting imaginary sheep, drinking a warm glass of milk, reading boring history texts, etc. And still, sleep eluded her.

And shadows consumed her room. As if his presence had just been hiding by the day and biding its time, allowing her to let down her guard. Then he pounced by the cover of the night, fiercely reminding her that he was not by any means finished with her. That he was relentless. That he would not give up.

Which was extremely out of character for the likes of him.

A bitter laugh came out of her. That was some fanciful thinking, she thought to herself. After the way she treated him, she would be surprised if he ever came to Suna again. But then again, that was the plan after all.

Her brother, his vital role, and the village took precedence. It was that simple.

Yet that did not make her forget what shadows were capable of. How it could lure you to fruits of forbidden delights. How enticing its whispers could be. The subtle strength in his limbs that made her whimper. The deliberately soft touch of his hands that made her ache. His smoky, intent gaze that made her burn.

Temari turned over, buried her face in her pillow and screamed, unloading her frustrations into it.

She had never been the type to be ashamed of the earthly yearnings of her body. But now that the person it longed for was someone she made sure would no longer be accessible to her, the tension within grew increasingly unbearable. More than the heat burgeoning inside her though was the images that aggressively bombarded her mind without warning.

And surprisingly, some of the images were not that of the sexually intimate kind but rather the sort of intimacy that was pure. The way he softly laughed at her antics, the way he raised a brow arrogantly, the way his mouth curved into a lazy smirk, the way he would absentmindedly take her hand in his or pull playfully at her pigtail...

Raising her head, she slammed her head into the pillow while clutching onto its sides. _Get a grip on yourself, Temari. Seriously. Stop acting like you're part of a star-crossed lovers drama. This is the way it has to be. Get used to it._

I never took you for a quitter, Tem.

 _Bloody hell, get out of my head, Shika._

You're hilarious as usual.

 _Stop provoking me, dammit!_

I wouldn't be here if you didn't want me to be.

 _That's ridiculous._

You do realize I'm not really here, right? You left me in Konoha deliberately.

 _Yes, I did for a reason! Wait ...what am I doing? Have I gone insane? This is not helping at all. And I'm not a quitter! If there was a solution, I would have done it already!_

...

Turning over, she sat up abruptly and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Is there?" she muttered. "Did I even bother to find one? Or was I just too blinded by panic? Or by fear for my brother? I let that old lady get to my head!"

Spirits renewed and determination lit her teal eyes, not bothering to change out of her nightwear, she headed for the library with long, quick strides. Yet as she did so, it was not her brother who was at the forefront of her mind.

She remembered the way his eyes looked stunned when she announced their engagement was a hoax and her hands clenched. She remembered the way disbelief clouded his face as he tried to reason with her and her chest ached. She remembered the way he accused her of lying and she could not help but smile a little. She remembered the way he restrained her with his shadows and the sensations that flooded her even when he had not touched her yet. She remembered the way he traced her mouth and neck with the lightest of caresses and made her want to blurt out the truth and have her way with him. She remembered how he smirked when he realized she still wanted him and how equally humiliated and aroused she was. She remembered the intense guilt that filled her when she forced herself to hit him as her last resort to convince him of her betrayal and how much she wanted to stay when he collapsed to his knees. She remembered how she fought to stay in her apartment when she clearly wanted to rush to his as was her primary instinct.

As she pushed open the thick oak doors to the library with a firm resolve, there was only one thing running through her mind.

 _You and I are not over, Shikamaru Nara. Not if I have anything to say about it._

0000000000

Present time

As Gaara returned to his room, he met Kankuro on the way.

"She's still at it?" Kankuro asked, gesturing towards the library.

For some reason, he was not surprised that his brother was aware of his sister's whereabouts and her activities. Kankuro could be silly and insensitive but when it came to family, he was loyal and fierce even if he might say otherwise. "Yes, she is quite determined."

"Of course she is. Never seen her head over heels over anyone else. And I have to admit Nara does complement her temperament," Kankuro said with a ring of certainty in his voice.

Gaara nodded. Despite the stark difference in personalities, both brothers could see that Temari and Shikamaru matched each other well. "That is undeniable. Let us hope things will improve soon."

Kankuro raised his brow at that. "Knowing that elder? I doubt it. I wonder though why she's so dead set against this marriage." He absentmindedly scratched at his chin, lost in thought.

"Did she not say it is for the village?"

"Hmm. I dunno but she's never been that adamant about anything before. I mean I know this is a crucial intervillage issue but something's off somehow."

There was a pregnant pause between the brothers. The two exchanged meaningful looks.

Gaara said slowly, "She does seem more incensed than usual. Perhaps you have a point."

"So you also think something else is going on here?"

"That is a possibility."

"It would be really satisfying to catch that elder in a sort of scandal."

"Kankuro, not so loud."

"What? You were thinking it too."

"It is bad form for a Kazekage to think of such." But Gaara grinned at his brother and Kankuro smirked and said, "Of course the Kazekage would not think ill of his people."

"Most definitely, brother."

They continued to walk in silence until they were in front of Gaara's room. His hand was already turning the knob when he turned to his brother and asked on a whim, "Do you believe in the red string of fate, Kankuro?"

Kankuro stared incredulously at his younger brother, hoping there was some sort of punch line. But this was Gaara so there was no such hope for that. He sputtered before saying, "Why are you asking me that? I thought you agreed that Temari and Nara suited each other."

"Well, yes, they do. But that does not mean they were destined by fate. I mean, they could be. But how are we to know such a thing?"

"I guess we wouldn't," Kankuro said with a mildly embarrassed look on his face.

"So do you?" Gaara persisted, heedless of Kankuro's discomfort.

"Do I what?"

"Do you believe in the red string of fate? Wait, you have been with many women, have you not? Was it because you were trying to see if you might be connected with them in such a way that you can interpret that the red string of fate connects the two of you and once you failed, you moved onto another and-" Gaara paused when Kankuro held his hand up with a pained expression on his face.

"Ahhh. Stop. I'm not gonna answer you. I'm going to sleep." A red-faced Kankuro practically ran off to his room.

"Very curious indeed," Gaara murmured before entering his room.

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed this one. Hmm. Most likely what most of you are waiting for might be in the next chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the late update again. I've been busy and distracted. Also had writer's block. I've been playing Pokemon Go too! Do any of you guys play? I'd love to know who play it! :D**

 **Huge thanks to the additional people who favorited and followed my story! :)**

 **And of course, special thanks to reviewers: fanofthisfiction, SariaKasumi, QveenLo, TheLegend, Rose-Aki, SnowHusky20, TooLazyTooLogIn1, BeNICEeatRICExx, Lock on Lockon, and Guest. You guys are the best! :)**

 **WARNING: THIS IS THE M-RATED CHAPTER. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. LOL.**

Flashback:

"I would like to request an indefinite amount of time off to take care of a personal matter."

The sixth Hokage stared thoughtfully at the pony-tailed ninja with his chin propped on his hands. His mouth pursed and moved about under his mask before speaking, "Oh? Indefinite? Well it's not like we can't do without you however there will be adjustments." Kakashi paused and asked in a slower, softer tone as if he was hesitating, "But I sense this is an important matter?"

Shikamaru stuffed his hands into his pockets, trying not to fidget. He knew that Kakashi might have already guessed the heart of the matter. But it was still embarrassing to be read like an open book. This was not the time to act like this though. Straightening his back, he said, "Yes. I need to secure my engagement."

With a startled look, Kakashi asked in a slightly astonished timbre, "With Temari of the Sand? What happened?"

Fighting to keep the flush from his face, he drawled, "It's... uh... a long story. But I have reason to believe that outside forces are preventing our engagement from proceeding."

The Hokage's brows knitted. "Hmm. Things sound dire. Would these forces be the council? I don't see what other forces have the authority in preventing such a thing."

"It's... possible." It was more than possible. In fact, there was more than a 90% chance of that being the case, Shikamaru thought.

"All things considered, okay, I'll grant you your request. I'll even send a word ahead to the Kazekage to allow you entrance. A quiet one perhaps?" A conspiratorial look was directed at him.

His lips quirked into a half-smile. "That would be much appreciated. Thank you, Hokage-sama." He bowed and turned to leave.

"Oh Shikamaru?" Kakashi called out.

"Hmm?" He looked over his shoulder to look back at the Hokage who wore an oddly fatherly look. Which frankly was something not often associated with the likes of Kakashi. He fought the urge to run out the door.

"I know there's no need to tell you this but I will anyway." A questioning glance shot from Shikamaru. Kakashi smiled crookedly as if he knew what Shikamaru had been thinking. "Don't let this one go. She's good for you."

Shikamaru let out a little surprised laugh. Then he met Kakashi's concerned gaze with eyes that suddenly seemed to age over the span of a minute but at the same time grew fierce in determination. Which pleased Kakashi a great deal. "She is too good for me. Nevertheless, I won't give up on her."

00000000000

It was nightfall when Shikamaru arrived at the gates of the hidden village of Sunagakure. The guards allowed him in without a fuss and handed him a sealed letter from the Kazekage. He proceeded to the hotel assigned to him and passed out on the bed for almost a day after travelling through the harsh desert.

Having recovered, he contemplated his plan after having read through Gaara's letter.

 _She has remained in the library for hours every night for almost a week now_.

The sun was sinking in the horizon and he had never been so impatient to act on anything before. As soon as the curtain of darkness began to creep over the sky, he started moving. Thanks to Gaara's instruction, he was allowed access into the Kazekage's headquarters.

Upon reaching the library, he looked about the halls. It was clear. Before he twisted the doorknob, he took a deep breath and exhaled. Beyond this door, his every move had to count and his every word had to be precise.

He must be able to win over the dragoness in its territory.

The knob twisted with ease and the door swung without noise. The expanse of the library should have overwhelmed him but it did not shake his calm.

Some mysterious force drew him to where she was and he spotted her within seconds.

There she was. Down the aisle between two huge bookcases among many. Surrounded by piles of thick texts. Illuminated by a single lamp that emitted a dim yellowish light.

The image gave him the sense of her wish to be cut off from the world. As if she created a sanctuary where she cocooned herself. Which made him wonder what kind of reception she would give him tonight. Would she glare at him and order him to go back to Konoha? That there was no use being here? That his presence changed nothing?

Shaking his head, he reminded himself that he came here with a purpose and that he knew her feelings for him remained steadfast. Making full use of his ninja training in the art of sneaking up on an enemy, his careful, ginger steps were no louder than whispers. As he approached, he was able to make out the words on the texts.

And it nearly floored him. And puzzled him simultaneously. Why did she blatantly reject him and now here she was searching for ways to make their engagement work? Was she just testing him back then? When was she going to tell him about this?

He understood that the council was getting in the way and for some reason she cut ties with him so that he would not find out. Why? And now it was clear that she still wanted to be with him.

There was a piece of the puzzle missing and he was uncharacteristically adamant to find out. But for now, it was time to stir the dragoness from her sleep and lure her out of her self-made sanctuary.

Bracing himself, he leaned down to her sleeping form and whispered her name. Just as he anticipated, she struck out with her right arm in a slicing motion through the air and he was able to dodge in the nick of time. She was now sitting up on her chair, but sleep still fogged her sight.

"Shikamaru?" she murmured with half-lidded eyes which made his chest swell. During their last encounter, she pointedly avoided using his given name. But with remnants of sleep, she used it without hesitance. Which further underscored how she truly felt towards him. Still felt towards him.

"Yeah, it's me," he said cautiously while stepping closer. There was a tremendous urge to take her into his arms but he was afraid of losing an eye or breaking an arm.

Miraculously, a smile crossed her lips. An action that tugged at his chest. "You're here." Then she shot out her hand, dug her fingers into his shirtfront and dragged him down to her level. There were mere inches that lay between their faces. Her warm breath ghosted across his mouth and he fought the compulsion to take her mouth as he longed to do since he left Konoha.

"You kept me waiting. I don't like that," she muttered in an ominous tone. Which startled and confused him. But not for long. With a forceful and abrupt pull, she made him stumble closer and caught his mouth with hers.

There was an explosion of heat between them. He scrambled for balance and placed his hands on her shoulders, kneading. She tried to pull him closer, wanting to press herself to his chest but the difference in positions made it difficult to do so. Groaning in frustration, she dug her nails into his chest.

Hissing even as he understood her pain, he slid his hands down to her arms and pulled her to a standing form. She immediately leaned against him, bringing her hands up and around his neck. Opening her mouth to his, she allowed him a deeper and a more intimate access. He moaned deep in his throat as he did as she demanded. Shudders ran through her body as his hands settled on her bottom and pushed her into him.

Squirming, she muttered against his mouth, "Dammit, Shika, get on with it. Or better yet." Dragging him by the shirtfront once more and swiping the texts from the table, she hopped onto the table and pulled him between her legs.

Resting his hands on her waist, a playful smirk appeared on his face as he leaned down to press his nose against hers. "Missed me, Tem?" he asked in a sinfully low and husky voice. She fought the immediate reaction that tone always did to her. Yet he looked at her knowingly, gripping her hips tighter as if he could not get close enough to her.

"Perhaps." Then a wicked smirk spread across her lips as she pressed her hips sharply into his, eliciting a groan from him. "But you definitely miss me more."

"Minx," he chuckled then dipped his head to nip and suck at her neck. His hand crept up her shirt and rough fingers traced the underside of her chest covering. Shallow breathing from her indicated the effectiveness of his technique and he grinned against her neck. Until she ran her hands down his back and dug her nails into his buttocks. A helpless groan escaped him.

"Stop playing, Nara," she warned breathlessly. A split second later she felt her breasts engulfed and stroked by his large hands. Her eyes fell close in pleasure. A minute later, she felt cold air strike her chest. Before she could say anything, a searing heat covered her breast. Almost immediately, she held his head to her chest as she bit her lip to keep silent.

But he was a sly and vindictive one. And she was a willing victim. His attack became more vigorous and she could not help the sounds she was making. And her impassioned cries increased in volume as he went on relentlessly. Her thighs clenched onto his hips as heat pooled in her core, desperately trying to find a sense of relief.

Slightly panting, she whipped her shirt and chest covering off which momentarily paused Shikamaru in his actions. Feminine hands gripped the back of his head and she smashed her mouth against his, tongues tangling and duelling. She fumbled to push his shirt upwards, wanting so much more.

Releasing her, he took off his own shirt in haste. Then he looked to the half-dressed woman before him. And for a moment, he could not help but gape in wonder. It was not like he had not seen her in such a state before. But somehow this moment with the lamplight illuminating her skin and the shadows playing about her alluring shoulders, beckoning breasts and flat stomach, not to mention the lust clouding her teal eyes... well, it was a wonder he did not burst right then and there.

"Shikamaru..." she growled, making to move towards him. Shadows lashed out and held her to the table, restraining her wrists at the back of the table and her legs to separate front wooden legs. The position pushed out her chest enticingly and widened the gap between her legs.

"Well, isn't that quite a sight." Shikamaru let loose a wicked grin. Temari raised a brow and drawled, not the least bit disturbed by her position, "Come here and do something about it then, lazy ass."

Chuckling as he stepped closer, he touched her under her skirt and between her legs. She sucked in her breath as her legs tensed. Moving his fingers against her, he enjoyed the twitching of her hips and labouring of her breath. Her chest quivered with every movement which he took immense delight in. Releasing his shadows, he continued to pleasure her but withdrew his hand just before she could reach her peak. She threw him a glare that should have had him running.

"Patience." He then lifted her by manipulating his shadows, wrapped her legs about his hips and her arms around his neck. He then ripped her underwear from beneath her skirt and lowered his pants. Moving to a chair, he lowered them to it. As he sat, he made sure to penetrate her as she went down. She half-moaned half-whimpered as her chest rubbed against his and he struggled to contain himself.

Utilizing his shadows to aid her about the hips, he manoeuvred her to rise and descend in a snail-paced, Shikamaru-style fashion. A while after, his shadows loosened enough for her to take partial control but it was not nearly enough. It was wonderful and sweet and toe-curling until Temari growled, "Faster, dammit!"

Shikamaru halted his shadows. Leaning close, Shikamaru deadpanned with a serious face, "You aren't in any position to be making any demands." Struck speechless, she kept her mouth shut.

Abruptly, he rose along with her while still connected and brought her against the wooden side of the bookcase. He took both of her wrists and pinned them above her head, his shadows following suit. Then with his hands on her hips, he continued to make love to her in the exact same tempo which Temari both savoured and detested.

"Shikamaru..." she whimpered. He drove particularly hard at that and she lurched upwards, moaning, writhing. "I... can't..."

Pausing as he stayed full hilt inside her, knowing this was the perfect moment and ignoring the twinge of guilt, he murmured into her ear, "Tell me why you lied to me."

She stiffened, indignant at the thought that he might have used this interlude to prompt answers from her. But when she saw the plea in his eyes, she deflated and softly but firmly uttered, "I can't."

"Why not?"

"I can't say."

"I see. Then maybe we should... stop." Releasing his shadows, her arms fell to her sides. Then he made to move out of her. She stayed him by a hold on his shoulder.

"It is a matter bigger than you and I. That's all I can say."

"I know it's about the council."

"You do?" Astonishment filled her voice.

"Yes. You don't need to hide that from me. And perhaps you think you were protecting me but I can't stand to think that you gave up so easily on us. But then I find out you haven't. That's why you've been here all this time."

"Shikamaru..."

"Tem... let's do this together."

"Can't."

Shikamaru paused at the gravity of her tone. "So there is something else."

Temari remained silent.

"Okay, I trust you." Dark eyes seemed to stare into her very depths and the complete faithfulness in them almost made her cry. "Just don't push me away anymore."

Teal eyes dropped down, guilt consuming her.

Taking her chin between his forefinger and thumb, he raised it. As his gaze met hers with clear intention, he said, "If you do, I'll just keep coming back anyway."

Words failed her as a lump filled her throat.

Maintaining eye contact, he started to move within her again. Her eyes fluttered close. Because she knew she would not be able to keep the emotions from her eyes. Not if he looked at her like that. Despite the fact that she was heralded as the cruelest kunoichi, she had no such defences against that.

She could not afford to let him know how deep her feelings still ran.

His voice still reached her though. "I'll love you just like this. Every time. And know that I won't give up. Not this time."

Her resolve shattered. After that, she pretended that the night was just like any other night they had before. She kissed him and gave back as good as she got.

They made love passionately and exquisitely several more times.

As they surrendered to exhaustion, sleep overcame them whilst still in the library. Shikamaru cradled Temari, the length of her front pressed against his front. Her head nestled against his chest as his arms surrounded her waist.

The next day, however, Shikamaru's arms clutched empty air and he sighed.

"Well, she wouldn't be her if she made this easy."

0000000000

Earlier...

"Kankuro, do you think they need assistance?"

"Huh?"

"They keep making sounds of pain."

"Oh lord. Gaara, let's just go. They're fine."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, trust me. I'm your older brother. I would know."

"That is not very reassuring."

"What did you say?"

"Oh, nothing. Let us return to our rooms then."

 **A/N: This is my longest chapter by far. Phew. Hope you like. And lemme know if you guys play pokemon go! Haha.**


	6. Chapter 6

**First of all, I'm so sorry for the long delay. Lots of things happened this month. But I'm still thankful that people are following this story!**

 **Thank you for the additional followers and favoriters! Special thanks to reviewers: ALIASTESIN, Temamaru, fanofthisfiction, SariaKasumi, looklivewithlove, Guest, Rose-aki, Guest, SnowHusky20. You guys are the best!**

 **This chapter is rated M for language and sexual content! You've been warned.**

At dawn, Temari managed to extract herself from his arms. Which was quite a difficult task. When she managed to return to the haven of her room, she threw herself onto the bed and screamed into the pillow until she felt her lungs were about to give out. Then she turned over and glared at the ceiling.

"You're such an idiot, Temari. He shows up and you give in so easily. You practically threw yourself all over him. Fuck. And that, you did that too. Several times too. Shit. What the hell is wrong with you? Have you completely lost your mind? Weren't you thinking at all? How last night can ruin everything?"

Flipping over, she slammed her fist into the pillow.

"You were _not_ supposed to get back together just yet. Not until you have a solid plan of thwarting that elder!"

The pillow dented from her punch once more.

"Who knows what he is thinking now? Who knows what he might do? If he does anything, that elder might think it was all my plan and Gaara will bear the full brunt of it all. Shit."

She striked the pillow several times more.

"What do I do? I need to talk to him. If we're seen during the day, the elder will suspect foul play. I'm sure she has spies all over the place... No wait, I can't talk to him. Why do you think you left him at Konoha? If I tell him the truth, the more he will want to do something heroic and shit. I can't risk that. Bloody Konoha ninjas and their hero complex."

She muttered that with disdain but she knew part of the reason she fell for him was how he led the soldiers during the shinobi war. He motivated them with well chosen words that moved them to act with renewed energy and hope. Which was why she thought he would make a good Hokage.

But this was a complicated situation that should be handled carefully. He should not be acting haphazardly especially if he did not know all the facts of the matter.

She sighed. "Guess I have to make sure he doesn't do anything."

0000000000

"Who authorized this meeting?" the elder demanded with a frown. Murmurs filled the room from the members of the council who were equally puzzled.

"I did," the Kazekage announced as soon as he entered the room. The noise halted but it was not the Kazekage who held their attention. It was the person standing next to him, slouching as usual.

"Nara Shikamaru," the elder uttered with surprise. "What are you doing here in Suna?" Chatter erupted in the room once more as they speculated as to why the Konoha ninja was present in their village. The elder tensed as her eyes flitted between the two figures who just arrived. She smelled something fishy.

"All questions for Nara may be addressed after this meeting," Gaara said calmly. The elder and the members quieted. The Kazekage strode forward and took his seat at the front while Shikamaru sauntered towards the other end of the room and took his seat at the opposite end.

"I have gathered all of you because Nara Shikamaru requested an audience with all of you. It would be the height of rudeness to refuse a request from one of Konoha's highly respected ninjas and not to mention, soon-to-be adviser to the upcoming Hokage."

"But my lord—" Chiyo tried to interrupt. She had apparently not seen this coming.

"Chiyo-san, allow him to say his piece. Only then may you say yours," Gaara said in a tone of finality.

Chiyo clamped her mouth shut. Then turned a cool gaze onto the guest of honor who was uncharacteristically attentive to her movements. She fought to keep her startled expression. There was something in his gaze that unnerved her. Something that could almost be described as dangerous and predatory but such an unsettling a characteristic on a laidback personality.

But that something vanished a second later. As if it was never there. He let out a lazy, almost charming, smile. She felt the tension ease from her shoulders.

"Nara-san has come here to voice his opinion about your abrupt announcement a few days ago. Something that he should have been a part of. Because clearly, this issue involves him and he has the right to be able to say something in his defense, do you not agree?"

The members of the council held silent. The elderpursed her lips but held her words back.

"Nara-san, if you please," Gaara nodded towards him, signaling Shikamaru to start.

Shikamaru rose slowly, scraping his chair back. Placing his hands on the table, he regarded all members of the council as if he was memorizing their faces and settled his eyes on the elder.

"You all know why I'm here. You don't want me to get married to Temari. You think I'm a threat to this village. I get all that. But I'm here to give you a proposition."

The elder narrowed her eyes. Perhaps she let her guard down too soon. He was after all a known genius.

"There is no law that forbids me from marrying Temari. Or you would've used it already. But what you can do is make me out like a threat so that the village would object to the engagement. But what you and I both know is I will be persistent and my efforts will be endless so I have a proposal that will decide all this once and for all."

"What is that?" the elder asked, her eyes never leaving his face. As if she could somehow sniff out his real thoughts by detecting any minute movement on his face.

"Well, if you don't like me for Temari, then that means you have other suitors in mind who is more worthy in your eyes, yes?"

The elder tipped her head and said proudly, "That is correct."

"I thought so." Shikamaru nodded solemnly. Placing his hands on the table and leaning forward, he continued, "I propose a competition. Between me and the suitors. Whoever wins gets the princess."

A pin drop could be heard in the pause that followed. The elder cocked an eyebrow. Other members started whispering once more. Everyone knew that the proposal was unusual coming from the famously lazy black-haired ninja. Shikamaru merely gave a half smile, undisturbed by the noise his metaphorical bomb created.

"You can't prevent our marriage but you can make this competition difficult. Obviously you will be hosting and regulating the competition since I will be a competitor. Every suitor must pass through each round if they want to win. Simple, right?"

Narrowing his eyes, signaling his seriousness, he went on to say, "But in the end, to make it believable for the village, to show your own village that you did not try to prevent the happiness of the princess, it will be the princess's choice in the end. Whoever is left in any case."

A buzz filled the room as the council members whispered more fervently amongst each other. The elder caught Shikamaru's gaze, mentally cross-examining what he said. _Is he crazy? He's right though. I can make it impossible for him and give others the advantage and kick him out in the first round..._

The elder spoke up, "Let me clarify. From my understanding, you are giving us all reign with this competition to determine the princess's groom. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"From that I presume that once the winner is decided, that is, whoever the princess chooses in the final round, that would be who she marries. If you lose, you will formally end the engagement once and for all?" The elder raised a haughty brow as if issuing a dare.

Shikamaru accepted that challege and met the elder's eyes evenly. "If I lose, then yes, the engagement will be no more."

"I see." The elder intertwined her fingers and rested her chin upon them, eyes attempting to see through him.

Shikamaru held out his hands, palms facing up. "So? You have all the advantage here. You control the game. All I want is the chance to prove that the only reason I want to marry her is 'cause I love her. And do so in front of the village. So there will be no doubt in anyone's minds as to my intentions towards your princess."

 _Love-sick fool who is willing to do anything? This is too easy. And they say he is a genius? What a laugh._

Everyone's focus was on the elder as she pretended to muse things over while staring at Shikamaru intently. Then she finally nodded, resisting the urge to smirk, and said almost sarcastically, "You have yourself a deal."

 _Checkmate._ Shikamaru nodded politely and sent a glance at the Kazekage.

Gaara gave a tiny smile.

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Kankuro knocked frantically on Temari's door.

When Temari opened the door and saw who it was, she growled with wild hair mussed from sleep, "What the hell, Kankuro? If someone doesn't open the door after a few knocks, it means they don't want to be bothered!"

"Sorry sis. But you need to know that Shikamaru held a meeting with the council to tell them his intentions."

"What?! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Dread felt like lead upon her chest.

"You wouldn't wake up! What's up with you anyway? You usually wake up early."

A blush filled her face. Kankuro stared. "Oh shit, right, you were with him. Man, did you do it all night long or something?"

"Shut up. Where are they now?"

"The board room. Where else?"

Temari sprinted in that direction, hoping she would make it on time, and Kankuro followed. They went skidding into the room to find that only Gaara and Shikamaru were left inside.

"What the hell happened?" Temari demanded with a scowl.

"Tem..." Shikamaru started.

"Don't you Tem me! What did you do?!"

Gaara and Kankuro skillfully slipped out of the room.

Warily, Shikamaru explained the situation. Temari's eyes grew wider and wider by the minute until she exploded.

"You realize what you've done? There's no way you'll win! You practically gave me away! What the hell, Shikamaru? Who gave you the right to do that?! Why did you all decide that without me?! Do you think I wouldn't be able to handle it? Did you think I was some weak-willed little girl who needs her future decided for her? Some subservient prize to be won?! Fuck you! And I can't believe Gaara allowed this!"

"I convinced Gaara to allow me to do this. And I did this for us. You really think I would give such a proposition without planning ahead? There is no other choice but this. I'm sorry if I acted without you but I knew you wouldn't allow it. But you have to trust me."

"How? When they have all the advantage in this contest?" she whispered, stricken but looked at him with a little hope.

"Just watch me. I'll handle it. You really think I would propose something so troublesome without being prepared?" Shikamaru chuckled which irritated Temari greatly.

"Dammit, Shika, I don't want to lose you, don't you get it! And for sure, if you lose, they will find a way to evict you and never allow you to come back here. And it wouldn't matter anyway since they'll force me to wed one of those idiot suitors!"

"You don't?" he said quietly as he strode towards her. His gait shifted from lazy to purposeful. The shade of his pupils grew darker. The effect on her was immediate.

"Don't what?" And for some inane reason, she backed up as he came closer. Her back hit the wall.

He rested a hand on the wall by her head, leaned in and asked again, "You don't want to lose me?"

''D-don't change the subject!" She tried to push him away but her hand just came up and stayed on his chest.

"You brought it up." His other hand wrapped around her hip.

"But that wasn't my point at all!" Her hand curled on his chest, gripping his shirt.

"I'm sure that was your only point. Not that I'm complaining." He lowered his head.

"I..." Her eyes strayed to his mouth.

"Don't think." He touched his lips to hers. Hand snaking around her waist, he pulled her to him.

Her hands rose and buried into his hair. Hooking her leg around him, she pressed herself against him. She kissed him back.

"Shikamaru, if you lose, I will personally castrate you and feed you to the desert snakes," she muttered against his lips.

He swallowed, knowing she was well capable of such a feat. "I'm sure it won't come to that," he whispered, moving his lips down her neck.

"Prove your tenacity." She gripped his arms, the need to touch him was overwhelming.

He paused. Then started to suck on the skin of her neck. His hand swiftly went down her back. While dragging his hands up her thighs, her skirt rose and he touched her from behind. She gasped as his caress swiftly ignited her senses. He played lightly but skillfully with her and her legs started trembling. She buried her face against his chest.

"Shika..."

"Is this what you want?"

"Not.. quite..."

He suddenly ceased, spun her around and continued to play with her from the front. Loosening her yukata, he dragged it down until it pooled about her waist. He showered kisses from her nape and traced down the curve of her spine. Making nips here and there. As the sensations consumed her, she placed a hand out on the wall to steady herself, biting her lip.

"Is this what you want?"

"Mmm..."

"No?" He straightened her body while cupping his hand under her chin and pressing his lips against her ear and giving it a nibble. His breath seared her skin. She suppressed a shiver. "Shall we do it on the elder's seat?"

A chuckle helplessly tumbled from her mouth. Twisting around, smirking, she hooked her arms around his neck and said, "You read my mind."

She dragged him to the seat and pushed him down and straddled him. They proceeded to make out heatedly while moving their hips against each other.

A few minutes later, they shed their clothing completely and made love. Afterwards, they ended up in her room.

"Shikamaru..."

"Hmm?"

"Win."

"Done."

"How can you be so confident?"

"It's me."

"Be serious!"

"Hn. Just watch."

"Fine. But if you lose..."

"Yeah I know. Desert snakes. Gotcha. Just come here." He drew her in a tighter embrace. "Don't worry. Just sleep."

Resting her forehead against his shoulder, she gripped at his back, burrowing herself more into him. As if it was the only thing left that she could do in this situation. And perhaps if they stayed just like this, there won't be a chance of separation. And that tomorrow would not come too soon.

And like clockwork, despite the turmoil lingering in her mind, his scent and the steady beat of his heart calmed her. Before succumbing to sleep, she brushed the softest kiss on the skin along his collarbone.

When he saw her breathing even out, he pressed his lips against her temple. He whispered, "I won't let those fools win you." And let the image of her sleeping face imprint in his mind as he drifted off to sleep.

A/N: Longest chapter by far. Hope you guys like it.


	7. Chapter 7

**I am so sorry this chapter took so long! Besides having writer's block, I'm getting into the really tricky bits of this story so I'm being extra careful. I will try to put up the next chapter as soon I am able. Please bear with me as I really am not used to writing multi-chaptered stories. Hope you guys haven't given up on this story! Thank you to everyone who is still following this!**

 **Special thanks to ALIASTESIN, fanofthisfiction, spilihp17, Rose-aki, Guest, Kaehari, Guest, Damaged Ghost of an Angel, SlackingNara, and fictionalhearts.**

"Gentlemen, I am sure you have been briefed about what this meeting is about. Lord Daisuke, Captain Takeshi, it is a pleasure to have you here."

The elder faced both men and smiled. Both men were handsome and powerful in their own way. And the best of it all, loyal to Suna. Like day and night the two were. Daisuke, the daimyo, was fair-haired and pale. Takeshi, a captain of Suna's army, was dark-haired and swarthy.

"To compete in a tournament for the hand of the princess is such a romantic notion, it would be an honor to participate. How about you, Captain?" Daisuke asked, turning to look at the man in question. He scrutinized the man from head to toe. His hair was clean cut, his military style clothes were neat and ironed. But of course, he thought to himself, he could not compare to me. The daimyo was dressed in pristine traditional clothing distinguishable by his clan's elaborate symbol.

"I accept the challenge. It is a privilege to be handpicked and be given the chance to be the princess's groom," Takeshi stated in a quiet but firm tone. He looked back without flinching, back ramrod straight.

"I cannot tell you both how wonderful that is to hear," Chiyo exclaimed, clapping her hands in glee.

Eyebrows knitting, Daisuke suddenly said, "I heard it was Shikamaru Nara who proposed this idea. What exactly is the nature of his relationship with the fair princess?"

Takeshi added, "I have also heard rumors that they are already engaged. So why the need for a tournament?"

Both men turned to gaze at the elder with closer inspection.

"This is why I beg you to understand. Do you really want our princess to be wed to one such as he? One of a different village? I implore you to understand the dire situation at hand."

The men glanced at each other before speaking.

"I do believe it unusual that the princess would consider someone of a different village, given her standing and political station. Perhaps we have a duty to make her see the light. I will no doubt be happy to make her my wife," Daisuke answered.

"I have admired the princess's strength and dignity for a long time. Perhaps this Nara has merely blinded her to her duties," Takeshi replied.

"I am glad you both see it my way. Suna, above all, must be protected from outsiders."

They both nodded without hesitation.

"I do have a concern, Lady Chiyo. However romantic the notion of a tournament is, I'm afraid I'm not exactly built for sport, as you well know. Someone of my station never dirties their hands. How exactly will I take part in this tournament? And I do not want to be a laughingstock. Furthermore, isn't Shikamaru Nara a renowned skilled shinobi?"

"Lord Daisuke, I have full control of the situation. You need not worry. You can be sure that you will be able to fully participate."

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Shikamaru heard knocking and something slipping underneath his door. He turned to look as a white card lay before the door. Getting off the bed, he walked towards it and picked it up.

The card with gold letterings said: "Shikamaru Nara, you are hereby invited to the first round of the tournament tonight at the Blue room, 8pm sharp."

"They're not wasting time," he muttered. "Want to rid of me so badly." He chuckled.

"Blue room... Hmmm. Let's see what you got."

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"Good evening to you all. Welcome to the first round of the competition," Chiyo announced. Her tone was unusually loud and high-spirited. Her facial expression was brimming with confidence and authority. Behind her sat the council members arranged across a long, high-rise table. The Kazekage, Kankuro and Temari were situated in front of them with a more intricately designed and low table. All three had the same grave expressions painted upon their faces.

The three competitors kneeled before them. Shikamaru on the left, Daisuke in the middle and Takeshi on the right. A mildly haughty look rested upon Daisuke's face. Calm was evident on Takeshi's. Neutrality displayed on Shikamaru's.

"Before I explain the first round of the competition, all three of you competitors must give your greetings to the Kazekage and some words of intention to our Princess whose hand you will vie for."

All of them took their turns bowing in front of the Kazekage. Gaara acknowledged each competitor with a nod. Then each one had to stand before the Princess and speak.

Daisuke, being the more superior in terms of family background, rose and took a few steps forward. "Princess Temari, for a specimen such as I with longstanding excellent lineage and resources, you are definitely the perfect match for me." Kankuro snickered behind his hand while Temari slightly frowned. "I hope you will accept me." He cast a smirk and a wink in her direction.

"Thank you for your... intention," Temari uttered, trying hard not to shudder in disgust. She had the urge to suddenly leap over the table and bang her tessen over his head. But alas she had to contain herself, much to her dismay. This daimyo, however flirty he was being, had quite an influence in Suna.

Takeshi strode forward. "Princess Temari, I have long admired your skills and your beauty. It will be an honor to fight for your hand in marriage." He bowed low and took a few steps back and lifted his head to give her a direct look full of confidence, determination and a hint of longing.

"Thank you for your intention," Temari said in a gentle tone. She had already known of his affections since long ago. He never tried to hide it. He was an outstanding example of a Sunan soldier and a respectable man. However he never quite captured her heart the way the third competitor did.

Shikamaru shuffled forward. All eyes were on his every movement. He looked straight into her eyes. He spoke as if no one else was present in the room but the two of them. "There's not a chance of me giving up. I'll show them all how much you mean to me and then they'll have no choice but to accept me." Then he actually stepped forward, clasped her hand in his, raised it to his mouth and brushed his lips across her knuckles. His eyes never left hers. There was a rare fire in his eyes that beguiled her.

There was a faint blush that spread across Temari's cheeks even as she whispered, "You'd better."

Murmurs erupted among the council members. Kankuro chuckled. There was a hint of a smile on Gaara. Daisuke was exclaiming, "Is he allowed to do that?" Takeshi looked mildly annoyed.

Amidst the mild chaos, Temari muttered, "Like making scenes, Nara?"

"If I'll win you, might as well go all out and make a lasting impression, don't you think?" Shikamaru smirked against her hand, which he was still holding onto.

Temari longed to wipe the smirk off his face through rather delicious means.

Chiyo shouted in frustration, "Quiet down! Sir Nara, you may return to your seat."

Throwing a quick lopsided grin at Temari, he spun with surprisingly indolent grace and plopped down.

After the elder composed herself, she announced, "The first round of the tournament is participation in dining."

There was a pause in the air. Befuddlement was clear on many faces. Some were scratching their heads.

"Our style of traditional courtly dining, to be precise."

Realization hit Temari like a ton of bricks. "Wait! Shikamaru doesn't know anything about our traditions! That's not fair!"

"Need I remind you, Princess. It is Sir Nara himself who gave all control of the tournament over to me. Furthermore, being able to partake in our style of dining with grace and dignity is a must if one becomes part of the royal family." There was a smug tilt to her mouth.

Temari clamped her mouth shut. Irritation made for tight lips and a stiff jaw. Then she turned to look at Shikamaru. His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes dropped to the floor and his mouth was frowning. That was not a good sign, was it? _Shikamaru, look at me! What are you thinking?_ Panic started rising within her.

The daimyo and the captain on the other hand appeared completely undisturbed by the announcement. Temari was certain they were informed beforehand. Furthermore, given their stations and backgrounds, they were both well acquainted with Suna's traditions of courtly dining.

Next to Temari, Kankuro tsked. "Your boy doesn't look so good, does he?"

Temari glared at her brother.

Kankuro held up his hands as if to surrender. "Just being honest. And hey, we expected this would happen. That they would try to screw him over. I just didn't think that he would lose in the first round already."

"Stop that! He hasn't lost yet!"

"His chances don't look good though, does it?"

The elder continued, "Lord Gaara, shall we start?"

Gaara gazed at the elder for an inordinate amount of time until the elder felt uneasy. Then he responded with ease, "We shall."

 **I know it's short. Lol. Hope you enjoyed it anyway!**


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Forgive me! This is the longest I've taken to upload a chapter, I know. A combination of things happened including the usual writer's block. Hope you guys haven't given up on this story.

 **AND ALSO! I AM SO HAPPY! I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS STORY HAS HIT OVER 100 FOLLOWERS. I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES. GAAAAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE!  
**

And I forgot to advertise my friend's new story in my last chapter like I meant to. Please do check out spilihp17's "Art of the Pick up". It's a Shikatema fic I requested him to do! :D

 **For this chapter, I need to explain some things before you read on. I had to make up stuff for Konoha and Suna's dining cultures. Simply, I made Konoha conform to Japanese/East Asian culture whereas Suna, which I can see as belonging to the Middle East area, conforms more to the Western culture. Hope that makes things clear or else you might go "wtf this author is so dumb" while reading this chapter. Lol.**

 **0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

 _How in the world will Shikamaru even begin to dine in our ways? I doubt if he has ever held a fork and knife properly. Even local villagers neglect to position their fingers the wrong way. What more someone who came from a culture of a whole different set of dining rules and utensils?_

"I don't think I've ever seen Shikamaru eat with anything but their so-called dining wooden sticks. Does he even know what a fork and knife is, Temari?"

She stuttered, "Possibly." Her hands clenched on top of each other subconsciously. "I don't know." She shook her head with force as if to shake off negative thoughts. "Shut up."

Sensing his sister's nerves, Kankuro clamped his mouth shut. It was rare to see his normally tough sister filled with uncertainty and apprehension. But considering the intense situation, he would be stupid to provoke her in any way.

Shikamaru with his head bowed this whole time increased her sense of apprehension. She stared hard at him, willing him to look at her. To let her know it will be fine. That he knew what he was about. That he was currently strategizing. That he knew exactly what to do.

Not even a glance was thrown her way.

And that made her nervous as hell. Nothing had ever made her this anxious in recent events. Not since the shinobi war. No one could blame her. This was, after all, her future at stake. And at this very moment, she could already be losing the man she loved. The man who was foolish enough to put their future at stake.

Intense anxiety was something she did not like to deal with. Fury, on the other hand, was a familiar friend. _That idiot! Proposing such a stupid plan! Thinks he's such a know-it-all! Look at him now! Look at us, now, Shikamaru! Dammit, you better pull through this or I will never forgive you for this!_

If only he would spare a glance.

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In a matter of minutes, they were all ushered into the formal dining room.

The elder and Gaara sat at opposite ends of the table. The competitors in the middle. Temari and Kankuro flanked Gaara's sides. And two council members by the elder's side.

In front of the competitors, sets of dining ware made of porcelain were already placed on the table. Plates, utensils, and glasses were polished until they shone. The table itself was made of sturdy oak.

The magnificence of the scene should have overwhelmed Shikamaru but he was too focused on the task at hand.

In front of him was a plate, two sets of spoons on the right and a knife, two sets of forks on the left. A small spoon and fork atop the plate. Two clear glasses at the top right.

The first course was the appetizer. A bowl of warm soup was placed on the center plate. And a piece of fresh bread on a small plate was placed at the top left.

The concentrated stare of the audience weighed heavily upon him. An annoyed sigh escaped his lips and the word 'troublesome' muttered under his breath. He just bet every single move he made was being criticized. And as soon as he did one wrong thing, it was the finish line for him. This sort of tension that consumed his body was definitely an alien matter in his usual laidback self. There was rigidity to his muscles that he could not afford to have right now. There was a slight trembling to his fingers. He braced himself and pushed his fingers against his palm viciously, digging his nails in.

The elder's voice cut through his musings. "Let the competition commence."

The soup was the creamy kind with bits of crouton floating about and a dash of seasoning in the center. Its scent was inviting and reminded him of home. The tension slid off his shoulders.

He took the spoon farthest to the right and dug in. Scooping directly away from him while sliding the back of the spoon at the edge of the soup bowl, he brought it up to his mouth and sipped at the side of the spoon.

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Before the competition started, Temari kept mumbling threats and alternatively shooting daggers at Shikamaru and the elder. The entire time the elder held a tiny smirk on her face while she, along with the rest of the audience, was observing Shikamaru. Temari knew exactly what the elder had to be thinking. After all, she cooked this entire thing up just so Shikamaru would mess up and exile him out of Suna. But really, out of all things, dining etiquette? After thinking on it, she supposed it did make sense since if they had set up the tournament to be centered on fighting, the elder knew there was a more than considerable chance of Shikamaru winning. His reputation as a renowned shinobi did precede him.

Thinking back to all the times she dined with Shikamaru in Konoha, they always used those wooden sticks to eat ramen, sushi, dumplings, etc. And since she was young and that she was royal, she and her siblings were taught to dine in ways more than their own including such local styles of dining of Konoha. Thus she had adapted fairly quick to their dining style. During the times that Shikamaru visited Suna, they had never dined formally and the village had adapted their local style of dining as well. Which gave Shikamaru no problem at all.

Thus in conclusion, Temari could swear that Shikamaru only knew how to dine with those darn sticks. And she felt her heart sink.

When the competition started however, Temari felt her jaw slack as she stared at Shikamaru. What in the world was happening? Shikamaru had picked up the correct spoon without a second thought and had correctly executed the proper way to eat soup in their traditional courtly ways.

Was it merely a fluke?

She turned to look at the elder. The smirk had disappeared completely to be replaced by a slight frown.

"Looks like your boy ain't finished just yet," Kankuro said with a grin. She felt herself smiling as well.

She barely glanced at the other two contestants. They knew these dining ways inside out. It was like a walk in the park for them. And that just made her want Shikamaru to win this all the more.

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The second course was the main meal or the entrée.

There was a cup of wild rice, a side of peas, corns, carrots, and pieces of baked chicken fillets slathered in a deep red sauce.

At this presentation, Shikamaru stilled for the slightest bit. His nostrils flared as he was able to make out the distinct spiciness of the dish. He fought the urge to give into a defeating stance.

0000000000

Temari barely held the urge to smack her hand into her face.

"Shit," she cursed under her breath. But not enough so that Kankuro was able to overhear.

"What is it?" Kankuro asked, raising a brow. "Wait, don't tell me... Nara can't handle spicy stuff?"

"Uhuh." Temari had a pained look on her face. Remembering all those times she coaxed and tricked him into eating spicy meals, not a one ended up pleasing Shikamaru. Oh, he would take a bite or two to please her but that was it. Come to think of it, most of the dishes of Konoha were non-spicy. She could chalk it up to the cultural and social settings, she supposed.

Whereas most dishes of Konoha were on the bland side, most of the dishes of Suna were full of hot spices. When Shikamaru would come over, he would always select the same thing to eat which were plain noodles with some kind of meat or another. Which was reminiscent of their meals in Konoha.

 _Why do you keep ordering plain noodles? Why not try these dishes? I told them to make it less spicy for you._

 _It's still spicy, woman._

 _Well, if we removed the spice completely, it wouldn't taste anything like the original dish, dumbass._

 _Which is why it's easier if I just avoid all of those dishes._

 _You are insufferable._

 _That's my line, woman._

The smug look on the elder's face had her grinding her teeth. So this was part of her vindictive plan too. She must have known quite a bit about the dishes of Konoha.

 _Come on, Shika, you only need to be able to swallow every bite of that spicy dish. Just this once._

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He picked up the normal sized fork from the left and the knife from the right of the plate.

He scooped up some rice and vegetables with his fork and brought it up to his mouth. His right hand with the fork stayed, his wrist resting upon the table.

He chewed slowly, trying to delay from taking from that hellish concoction. The food pushed back into his throat. Eventually he could not delay any longer and took a small part of it.

It took a massive effort on his part not to screw up his face as the tremendous spiciness penetrated his taste buds. More like destroyed his taste buds.

Beads of perspiration appeared on his forehead. He felt his cheeks and ears heat up. His mouth burned. Every after bite, he would put down his utensils in a crossed manner with the fork tines facing downward and take several sips from his water glass. He fought to keep his food down and not vomit as was his instinct.

But he kept at it.

 _Shika, try it, okay. Don't be such a wuss. Finish it. Don't waste it. Ugh, you are so troublesome!_

He mentally chuckled. Looked like all those times of evading Temari's spicy dishes was coming back to haunt him. Karma was certainly a bitch.

 _Temari._

He forged on.

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Kankuro chuckled. "His face is crimson, Temari. This is priceless."

Temari did not know whether to laugh at him or pity him. But more than anything she felt a huge wave of gratitude for this man who was willing to go through something he considered detestable just for her. For them.

A gentle smile spread across her face.

Then she heard the elder speak. "Sir Shikamaru, do tell us all about the wonders of Konoha."

She saw that Shikamaru had just fed himself a spoonful. She could curse the elder who really was out to get Shikamaru. Though it was a fairly obvious trick. At least she hoped it was obvious to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru did not even bat an eye. He continued to chew slowly as if to savor every morsel. But she knew better. She held back a wicked grin at the annoyed look on the elder's face.

After Shikamaru swallowed, he drawled, "It would be better to show them to you. I would _happily_ act as your guide whenever you might find yourself in Konoha."

The elder paused, a bit at a loss for words and frustrated. She said through somewhat clenched teeth, "I'm sure you would. _If_ I find myself there."

Shikamaru merely shrugged and continued eating.

A silly grin found its way to Temari's face.

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Dessert came in the form of strawberry shortcake. Shikamaru took the small spoon placed at the top of the plate. He took care not to take large bites. This was probably by far the easiest course yet.

After they were all finished with dessert, Shikamaru kept himself from relaxing and slouching against his chair. When the dishes were cleared, everyone looked towards the elder.

The elder did not move for a while. Her face was without expression. Then she rose and proclaimed in a voice without spirit or intonation, "First round of the tournament is completed. Everyone passed."

A manservant came close to Shikamaru's side and offered a tray full of cigars. At the sight of them, Shikamaru relaxed as if seeing an old friend. The manservant moved the tray closer as if urging Shikamaru to get one. Without thinking, Shikamaru reached out and almost touched one when a memory crossed his mind and his mother's voice echoed in a screech.

 _I told you not to smoke at the dining table, Shikaku! It's bad manners! Go outside if you have to!_

As if a mouse trap was about to clamp onto his fingers, he retracted his hand in haste, turned and pinned his gaze at the elder, who had smirked then rearranged her face, and admitted, "You're good. You almost got me, didn't you? Nice try."

Pursing her lips, the elder announced in a sharp tone, "Everyone is dismissed. The next round will be in two days' time."

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Temari caught Shikamaru by the back of his shirt and pulled him into a secluded corridor.

"How did you do that?" Temari demanded while holding fistfuls of his shirt.

"Do what?" Shikamaru asked in confusion, a bit blindsided.

"You know! How did you know all those dining etiquettes?"

"Oh that. Have you forgotten who my mother is? That woman drilled all kinds of etiquette into me since I was a kid. Always saying what if we got visited by the Hokage or what not."

"Doesn't explain why you knew our type of etiquette."

"My father was one of the best tacticians in Konoha. Whenever leaders of other villages came over to have secret meetings with the Hokage, my dad would always be involved. And where would be the best place to host such events? Our house. So since that kept happening, mom taught me all sorts of etiquette from different villages including yours," Shikamaru explained. "Oh, keep that to yourself."

"I see. That's amazing."

"It was troublesome back then. But I'm completely grateful for it now."

A smile appeared on her face and then transformed into a severe frown. "But you almost got tricked, Shikamaru! Be careful next time! Your smoking habits almost ended us!" It looked like she wanted to strangle him.

Shikamaru winced and sighed. "I know. Good thing I remembered my mom scolding dad about smoking at the dining table."

"Shikamaru..." She stepped close and slipped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest.

Chuckling, he returned the hug and said, "What's this, Tem?"

"Thank you," she whispered.

He squeezed her, knowing the words rarely came forth.

"Why couldn't you look at me during the competition though?" A tinge of hurt laced into her voice.

His hands moved over her back in gentle circular strokes. "I couldn't because I knew you'd look worried. And I couldn't worry over you then. I had to focus. To see you anxious is not the Temari I know. It reduces you to a normal female with fears. In my mind you had to be invincible. The possible thought that I had reduced you to such a creature, it was unforgivable. It would have made me want to forget everything else and go to you, risking everything."

Temari went silent for about a minute. "You're a fool," she said into his chest. Raising her head, she gazed at him with such rawness that caused his pulse to skip. "You already have."

With the force of the butt of her hand, she propelled him backwards, his back hitting the wall. A grunt came out of him, his eyes snapping up to hers in surprise.

With a saucy grin, she dashed forward and hurled herself onto him, latching her legs about his waist and her arms around his neck. Her lips twitched at his unguarded expression as he caught her with quick reflexes.

Pressing her forehead to his and closing her eyes, she murmured, "Just tell me we will be fine."

At her words, he softened. They both knew it was just the start. No matter how much confidence he exuded at the beginning, this first round showed them that it won't be smooth sailing. Even if he succeeded in this round, he could easily be kicked out in the next.

He clutched onto her, pressing their bodies closer. Inhaling the scent of her hair deeply, he then buried his face by the crook of her neck. His lips brushed the soft skin of her shoulder, making her shiver. Their hearts were pounding like the beat of _taiko_ drums during a wild festival. Their skin grew warm and aroused from their proximity. But the feelings crept in slowly and cautiously. As if knowing that if they rushed it, it would end that much sooner. And now more than ever, they had to be savored, not unlike fine wine, to be swirled and swished about, to be examined by the various senses before a complete tasting would ensue.

"I'm the tactical genius, don't forget," Shikamaru gently reminded her. "We will be fine. The outcome _will_ be in our favour."

"It had better be or I will hunt you down and make you pay for it," she growled softly against his neck, her breath warming his skin further.

Shikamaru smirked as he started to make way for his room while carrying her. "Why not make me pay now for my almost blunder?"

A pensive expression crossed her face and she sighed dramatically. "The things I have to do to keep you in line."

"You live for it, troublesome woman."

"Shut up and hurry, lazy ass. Or I'll find myself cooking."

Shikamaru blanched and sped up, Temari chuckling all the way.

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 **For your information, Shikamaru used the European style of dining in this chapter. Apparently there is a difference in handling a knife and fork in the European style versus the American style. Go figure. Lol.**

 **Thank you to the additional people who favorited and followed! Special thanks to reviewers: fanofthisfiction, ALIASTESIN, spilihp17, SnowHusky20, SariaKasumi, Guest, Rose-Aki, Reginaaviles68, Gurpreet Singh, Wolf99887, Guest, ShikamaruTemariNara. You all gave me the boost I needed. Thank you!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey, everyone! Are you glad I didn't take so long to post this time? Lol. Thank you again for still sticking with this story!**

 **This chapter will be a mini chapter because originally I had it planned it to be much longer. But the thing is I made a deal with someone that I would post today so I shall. Hehe. Is it obvious that someone is bribing me to continue this story faster? Lol**

 **Hope you enjoy! :)**

"How could he have possibly known our courtly dining etiquettes? He did not even bat an eye!"

"Well I thought he faltered at the spicy entree but he showed some will there, didn't he."

"But at the end there, that was so close! We almost got him! So cheeky of him to address our elder in such a way also!"

"Did you think he was going to make it, Chiyo-sama?"

Chiyo ignored the noisy discussion about her. She needed to process everything carefully. True, she did not think that the boy would even know a hint of their etiquette style. Even if he was a so-called genius, why would he care to know the etiquettes of such a culture as theirs? Unless he was arrogant enough to predict that he would become part of the royal family? Absurd!

Even so, even he had somehow known of their style of dining, she had taken into account the taste of Konoha's cuisine. But the wretched boy had actually finished the dish. Even when the reluctance was clear on his face at first. Yet somehow a determined expression overcame it. Sentiment for the princess, eh? How positively nauseating. She refused to think it gave significance to their union.

Talking to him while he was eating was obvious a ploy but she had to try every means. The way he took his time and replied to her during the meal was certainly impertinent. As if he dodged a blow and playfully jabbed back. He did manage such a comeback. A cheeky one at that.

The last stroke from her end was supposed to be foolproof. The boy was known for his fondness for smoke. Yet for some odd reason, it looked like some force froze his hand just before he picked up a cigar.

It was the most infuriating sensation. To have had an almost victory on the first round. It would have been glorious.

No matter. She had more tricks up her sleeve. That was for sure.

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"Shika, what do you think will happen next?" Temari asked while atop him. Her chin rested on the back of her flattened hands which rested on the planes of his chest. Her bare chest rose and fell with the rhythm of his stomach. Her legs crisscrossed in the air between his legs.

Hands at the small of her back, but at her question rose to pin themselves behind his head in thought. "I've no clue. But definitely something to throw me off. This round certainly did. It's just too bad for them I have stock knowledge of the subject." She had to hold back a smile at the smugness radiating off his face.

"Thank goodness for that. Otherwise I would probably be packing up right now and running away with you. Glad we don't have to resort to such things. As of now anyway." She slanted a warning look at him, reminding him not to get too big a head too soon in the game.

He gave a humourless chuckle. "You wouldn't leave your village like this. Not with this sort of politics underway."

"No, I would not," she agreed. "Not in this situation. But once the threat is cleared, I will be doing things for me and only me. I will not have my life dictated for me."

But she almost let them, didn't she. For the sake of her brother, the ruler. The only one she knew who would make a difference to their village and actually cared for it. And it would have been a noble doing on her part to sacrifice herself in order for her brother to retain his power. That would not have been so bad except she knew it did not feel right to surrender. It was so unlike herself. She was glad she chose to fight. And if they lose, at the very least Gaara no longer had to be stripped off his power since he did not push for their marriage. Not directly at least. The elder could not use that threat against her anymore. And that was definitely a massive weight off her shoulders.

Now they only needed to win this tournament.

"But you're a princess. You must do what's right for your village." She knew it was a question as much as it was a statement coming from him. Not that he doubted her loyalty to her village and her family, but he probably wondered how far she was willing to go for their relationship. But she already answered that, did she not?

"Gaara is what's right for the village. As long as no one is hindering him, the village will prosper." Which was the perfect answer for his overt questioning. But she decided to tease him by not replying to his underlying question.

Instead her lips brushed the skin along his shoulder blade. She heard the gasp and felt the stiffening of his torso. She held back a snicker.

"Tem." His hands thread through her messy hair.

"Hmm." She continued to pepper feather-light kisses all around his shoulder, spanning from the end of his shoulder towards his neck.

"Tem," he murmured warningly.

She dug her teeth into the crook of his neck. He jerked and hissed through his teeth.

A split second later, she found herself staring up at the dark orb of his pupils. Flat on her back while he hovered over her, the weight on his forearms.

"You'll run away with me?" She detected the note of hope and the hint of hesitance. His gaze seemed to intensify as well. She did not know whether to laugh at his adorable moment or comfort him.

Instead she answered him with stark honesty," I told you I will not have my life dictated for me."

"But your brothers—"

"They will be fine. I will contact them every once in a while."

Brooding eyes still thoughtfully peered into hers.

"What."

"I'm not sure if you're running away to get away from the clutches of the council or to be with me."

"I cannot believe your questioning my feelings for you."

He winced. "It's not like that. But you can't deny the council has a huge hold on you."

She gave a harsh bark of laughter. "Why do you think I broke up with you? That bitch of an elder threatened Gaara. What other choice did I have but to sacrifice us for Gaara and the entire village? I did it for them."

"I know," he said softly.

"But now since you challenged the council, Gaara is no longer in danger. I will not be strung along like a puppet in the elder's hands. Yes, I will do anything to get away from that. But." She cupped his face with her hands and stared at him hard. "If there wasn't you, there wasn't anywhere I would want to go badly enough to leave this place. If there wasn't you, I would stay and rebel alongside Gaara and Kankuro."

He took her hand and pressed his lips into her palm. "I know. I didn't mean to make it sound like you were just using me as a scapegoat."

"But the thing is it would be so much grander if you won this tournament instead."

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"Running away it does not suit us heroes of the war. Sure, I would do it if we had to. But I would much rather see the elder fall into defeat. I mean she is doing everything in her power to destroy us. I think she needs to be taught a thing or two." She grinned. "Do you not think so?"

He smirked. "Agreed. I did say I'll win, didn't I?"

"I am counting on it, lazy genius."

 **Thank you to my additional favoriters and followers! And much more to previous reviewers: spilihp17, fanofthisfiction, SariaKasumi, Rose-Aki, SlackingNara, and bunnyguest. I will thank you all individually soon!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everyone! As always, I wanna thank the additional favorite-rs and followers! Always grateful! For this chapter, I had a terrible writer's block which could not come at a worse time since it is a major chapter. Also, I actually asked for extension on my so-called deadline. I am on strict schedule. But I am quite thankful to my so called 'manager' shall we say. Even if this person is demanding. Lol.**

 **Hope you guys enjoy this one!**

For the second round of the tournament, Shikamaru, along with the other two contestants, were guided towards the center of the room where elegant wooden desks stood. On top of each desk lay a board and marker. It seemed like a déjà vu of sorts. As if time had rewound back to the period of the chuunin exams, particularly during that written exam. For a moment, he wished his teammates were here. Fighting alongside him. However. Shaking his head minutely, this was his battle to attempt to win. It was his to start and finish.

If his gut instinct was correct though, Ino's abilities would come in handy just about now. Actually, it would have helped if she could read the elder's mind throughout the tournament. But besides the fact that everyone was aware of her abilities and would therefore forbid her involvement in this tournament, he would not resort to such a thing. If he was going to win, he will win fair and square. So that there would be no questions whatsoever of his intentions towards Temari.

His train of thoughts were interrupted when the elder's voice boomed out.

"Welcome everyone to the second round of the competition. This round is, as you can see, no longer requires any dining ware but rather something very basic."

"This round is simply the question and answer portion."

He just stared at the elder blankly. Perhaps he heard wrong?

"You will be asked trivia related to Suna's history and culture. It is a given that Princess Temari's groom must be knowledgeable of these facts."

Of course. They probably thought he knew little to none of Suna. He tried not to grin. Then he checked himself. After all, it was too soon to celebrate. He had not heard the questions yet after all.

The elder's scrutinizing eyes fell upon him. He wondered if she could smell his glee. It took some effort to maintain a straight face, not wanting to give her any hint of his thoughts.

Did they really think he knew nothing of Suna's history and culture? Or perhaps they will ask questions only the locals knew?

Besides that, this tournament was seriously getting stranger and stranger. As if they were ready to throw anything bizarre just to catch him off guard. So far these first two rounds were a far cry from the shinobi exams they had taken.

He chanced a look to his opponents. Not unlike the first tournament, Takeshi oozed confidence and his gaze was quite intent. He sought out the object of that gaze and confirmed his suspicions.

 _Temari._

The urge to pummel this guy was instantaneous. He resisted strangling him with his shadows. The thought alone jarred him. It was uncharacteristic of him to feel such violent and out of control jealousy. He forced himself to look at the other highly respected opponent.

The expression on his face made him forget his ire towards the other guy. It seemed as if Lord Daisuke was... worried? This usually arrogant daimyo was fidgeting and his breathing seemed accelerated and he appeared to be mumbling incessantly. As if his mind was spiralling uncontrollably.

Well, one less opponent would be favourable for him.

The elder continued, "This is the mechanics of the game. One question per round will be read. You will write your answer on the board provided in front of you. You will be given two minutes to write your answer. At the end of the two minutes, the bell will ring. And you must raise your board for judging. Is that clear?"

All the contestants gave a short nod.

"There will be five questions in all. The contestant with the least number of correct answers will be eliminated."

So there will be someone who will be taken out of the competition today, he thought. He glanced at the daimyo beside him who seemed to blanch. His hunched posture was decidedly un-lordly. He wondered if anyone else noticed.

"Let us get started. Everyone have your boards ready. The first question is how is it that our medical nins are able to grow rare medical herbs that would usually not thrive in such a harsh desert climate such as ours? It is a one word answer and an easy level question." The airiness in the elder's voice seemed to direct a note of challenge to Shikamaru. And knowing this evil woman, she probably thought that he would not know such a facility in Suna, given that he had no reason to be in its vicinity.

It was too bad for her that he was the main intel during the Shinobi War. Shikamaru remembered when Sakura treated Kankuro's toxic state after Sasori's poison infected him. She was led into a greenhouse that created a special climate just for such rare herbs. An antidote was made from those herbs.

He scribbled the word 'greenhouse'.

When the bell rang, everyone raised their boards. The elder frowned momentarily as if dismayed and then announced with a hint of surliness, "One point to all."

It was hard to keep from expressing his smugness since the elder appeared disappointed. Although it looked like someone retained some of his color back, he thought as he gave a side glance towards the daimyo.

The other opponent however surprised him. Hostility emanated from the cold stare Takeshi gave Shikamaru. And no wonder. Temari had her full attention and stance directed towards Shikamaru. Probably had been this whole time.

He levelled a challenging stare back.

And it became a stare down until the elder spoke again.

"The second question is... everyone is aware that the third kazekage was known as the strongest kazekage in history. What made him so? The question can be answered in two words."

Simple history question. Was the elder even trying?

His board later had the words "Iron Sand".

When he raised his board, Temari smiled and he exhaled easily.

"Lord Daisuke, I am afraid that is incorrect," the elder said, giving the daimyo an odd look.

The daimyo's complexion returned to its pale state.

"The third kazekage was able to create the ability of Iron Sand which made him the most powerful kazekage in history. That is the correct answer."

The scoreboard displayed:

Shikamaru – 2

Takeshi – 2

Daisuke– 1

"The third question is... within Suna's aviary, there is a hawk that is deemed the fastest and is often used as the messenger for emergency dispatches. What is the name of this hawk?"

He could not help the quirk of his lips. It was difficult not to steal a glance at Temari right now. Being in a long distance relationship with this woman, it was a definite challenge to communicate. But seeing as Temari is the princess, she had certain privileges. Guess the elder did not know about her secretive usage of that precious hawk.

He wrote the name "Takamaru".

At two minutes, they raised their boards. Lord Daisuke had a blank this time. The elder looked at him with apparent disapproval.

"Takamaru is the name of the hawk. Lord Daisuke, I will have to take that as an incorrect answer."

Scoreboard:

Shikamaru – 3

Takeshi – 3

Daisuke -1

"The fourth question is according to myths of old, Suna became a sunken terrain due to unnatural causes. What is the reason for Suna becoming a sunken terrain? We will accept two possible answers for this."

 _Shikamaru, welcome to Suna. Did you know that it was some godly force that sunk Suna like this?_

 _Really?_

 _Yes, they said it was either Susanoo or Amaterasu that made Suna like this. At least according to myths, that is. It's an incredible thought, don't you think?_

He listed the two terms down.

And just like the previous questions, Shikamaru and Captain Takeshi had their answers marked correct while Lord Daisuke shamefully bowed his head.

"Well it looks like the eliminated contestant is clear. However, this final question must be asked," the elder said with a suspicious glint in her eye.

Shikamaru felt a sense of foreboding.

"If there is a war that breaks out between Suna and Konoha, which side would you be on?"

He knew it. This elder was just really out to get him. What kind of question was that? Of course if he answered Suna, word would get out to Konoha about his claim of treason. And if he picked Konoha, all chances of him wedding Temari would dwindle to nothing. It was the ultimate trap for him. It was a no win situation. Damn this elder. How would he solve this situation?

"Hold," the Kazekage spoke out. "That is not exactly trivia about Suna, is it? I thought that was the objective of this round. To find out if the potential grooms are learned about the culture and history of Suna?"

"Kazekage-sama, while it is true that the question is not wholly about Suna, don't you think it's a relevant question?"

"Relevant only to one. Which makes it an unfair and biased question. Bias should not be a part of this process or I will have another person host this competition, Chiyose-san."

"...Understood, kazekage-sama," she relented with great reluctance. Then she faced the contestants once more, "It is apparent who is leaving the competition today in any case. Thus congratulations to those who are moving onto the next round," she said in an emotionless tone.

Then she faced Lord Daisuke and said in a sharp tone, "You, sir, are a disgrace. You have been a citizen of Suna for a long time and yet an outsider knows more than you."

The daimyo stiffened then smirked despite his loss, "I pay my servants to know these things. You cannot really expect me to keep track of trivial things?" He then swept away quickly.

"Congratulations, Shikamaru-san," a deep voice greeted him to his left. He turned to see Captain Takeshi holding out his hand.

He glanced down at it and said, "You too." And he returned the handshake.

The captain took his hand with a deathly grip. Shikamaru had expected it and returned the handshake with equal force.

After a few seconds, Takeshi smirked, took his hand away and turned about and left.

The council members trickled out the door.

Eventually Shikamaru, Gaara, Temari and Kankuro remained in the room.

Shikamaru closed the distance between him and Gaara. He bowed before him and uttered, "Thank you, Kazekage. I was in a bind."

"It was nothing, Shikamaru. I could not let them cheat you like that." He gave Shikamaru a fond smile. "Keep up the good work." He started walking away.

"Hang in there, man," Kankuro said as he slapped Shikamaru's shoulder while chuckling good-naturedly.

Then only two remained. They eyed each other.

Temari smirked. "I wonder who is to thank for your winning this round?"

He went to her, slid his arms around her and gathering her flush against his body. "This goddess who's been haunting my dreams."

"How poetic you've become. I'm not sure I like it," she said while a grin threatened to tug at her lips.

"Then I'll do this instead." He bent down and pressed his lips against hers tenderly.

"That's more like it," she whispered against his mouth.

 **A/N: All trivia (suna greenhouse, third kazekage and iron sand, takamaru the hawk, susanoo or amaterasu being the reason behind sunken suna) came from Naruto Wikipedia! Thank goodness for that source and to spilihp17 who pointed it out to me! lol.**

 **Thank you so much for reviewers: ALIASTESIN, spilihp17, bunnyguest (please get an FF account if you can so I may thank you properly :)), fanofthisfiction, Axel0913 (a huge thank you for your recent multiple reviews on my many fics :)).**


	11. Chapter 11

**For my readers who read most of my stories and my author's notes, you might have guessed who my mystery 'manager' is. Yes, it is spilihp17. (Fanofthisfiction, you guessed right!) Anyway I wanted to thank him publicly for moving my ass along this story and also demand that he get going with his stories as well. Lol.**

 **Once again, I am thankful to everyone who is sticking to this story!**

 **Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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Shikamaru shook Temari gently. "Tem, wake up. You have to go."

Last night, it had been Temari who snuck in the middle of the night to visit Shikamaru. She was currently using Shikamaru as her pillow. Head snuggled to his neck, arm and leg flung over his body, rendering him somewhat immobile.

Turning his head toward the window, he peered to find the sun rising over the horizon. He sighed, loathed to let her go but knew he must. He lightly ran his fingers inside her shirt and up the side of her silky torso. She squirmed. He tried it again and caught the fist headed toward his face.

"Jerk," Temari whispered, eyes opening in a bleary state. His mouth curved upwards, unable not to at such a sight.

"You're the one who tried to hit me." He chuckled while detangling her limbs from his and pushing her bottom away.

"You deserved it," she muttered without heat as she sat up, swinging her legs over the bed and settling her feet flat on the floor.

"Yeah yeah, get going now, sassy princess." His face held that familiar smirk.

She did not have to look back to know he was smirking. Swinging around in a heartbeat, she crawled towards him and straddled him. She leaned down to kiss him ferociously and wiggled her bottom. After a few heated seconds, she jumped off him, ran towards the door and went, "byee!" with a naughty smirk of her own.

He shook his head. The woman did not like losing. She always had to have the last word in. In this case, last touch as well. What a touch. He chuckled.

He stared at the door where she left until he sighed. The next round of the tournament was always at the back of his mind. He predicted that it would be one of the last rounds, if not the last, considering there were only two contestants left.

It would most likely play to Captain Takeshi's strengths.

Captain Takeshi had delivered him a challenge he could not possibly ignore. His hand could attest to that. Besides that, he could neither forget nor forgive the possessive stare this man had over Temari. It gave him a terrible feeling. And that was not a man to be underestimated.

There was a knock at the door. He was startled. No one had knocked on that door since the start of this whole tournament. Temari certainly did not knock.

He got up and opened the door to see one of the officials of Suna standing before him, holding out a white envelope.

"Sir Nara Shikamaru, I am told to deliver you this invitation for tonight's event. Have a good day," he intoned. As soon as Shikamaru took the envelope, the man bowed and left.

Closing the door, he turned over the envelope to discover his name scrawled with the official seal of Suna. He tore it open and read,

"Nara Shikamaru, we hereby invite you to tonight's soiree. This is a chance for the Princess to further the acquaintance of the final contestants and to further examine the skills of the contestants in the social arena. In a way, it is to be a round of its own. Without any judgement. With a gentle reminder that the Princess does get to choose who will be her husband in the end. This event will help her in making such a decision.

The rules of the round will be elaborated at the start of the soiree.

P.S. Please wear formal clothing as it is a ball with rounds of dancing."

A frown formed as he mulled over the invitation. Dancing, huh. He scratched his head in thought.

At least it was not another round of spicy food.

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A woman with obvious sexual appeal, with red curls, full red lips, red slinky dress and red heels stood alluringly before the elder.

The elder eyed the other woman with distaste. She despised such women who displayed their bodies with abandon. But she had need of the woman thus she will keep such comments behind her teeth. "Do you understand what I'm asking you to do?" Chiyose demanded, a stern look on her face.

"Crystal." Those red lips curved into a sinful smirk.

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 _Doesn't planning a soiree take a few weeks at least to plan?_ Temari wondered.

There was a sea of people from the village milling the sides of the ballroom. It looked like everyone had to come to watch this round. Curiosity was a powerful pull indeed.

In the center of the room stood the final two contestants. In front of the room sat the elder, council members, Gaara, Kankuro and Temari.

Since Temari was just informed today, she had no time to make a new dress sewn therefore had just worn her best dress for the event. The gown was the same shade as her teal eyes and it hugged her figure well. Judging by the eyes of the men in the crowd, it was well appreciated. Not that Temari cared for their opinions.

The elder stood before the crowd and announced, "This is how this round will be conducted. As stated in your invitations, there will be no scoring. However your social skills will be on display throughout the whole night. But the real test is when you are to spend 30 minutes each with the Princess, half in dancing, half in privacy. You may take a walk outside if you so wish."

"As I've already told you, the purpose of this event is for the Princess to have a better knowledge of her suitors. Since it is her choice at the end, this will aid her in making a well-informed decision."

"Shall we start with Captain Takeshi? A few couples are selected from the crowd to join you in dancing."

Captain Takeshi moved forward until he was in front of Temari. He bowed and held out his hand. Temari stood up and placed her hand in his and let herself be led towards the center of the ballroom.

He placed a hand on her waist and the other clasping her hand. And he led her through the dance.

He was elegance personified and Temari could see no fault unfortunately. Neither did the women in the crowd who sighed and wore hearts in their eyes for him.

She did not even know if Shikamaru knew how to dance. But at least he was able to watch first. Maybe that will give him an advantage.

She knew why the elder invited the villagers to watch. People will judge and if they did not like the contestant who will become her groom it will be a problem.

She did not notice that the dance had ended and while the crowd was applauding, Takeshi had led her towards the outside until her surroundings became still and silent.

Takeshi turned to her and announced with urgent eyes, "Surely you must know my feelings since long ago, Princess. I have never tried to hide it. It was fruitless to do otherwise. When I was invited to compete in this tournament, I thought surely it must be fate."

"Perhaps this is quite forward of me however." He clasped Temari's hand. "I know that you believe you have deep-seated feelings for Nara Shikamaru. I am here to persuade you otherwise."

"You are the Princess. You have duties to your village. And not to boast or anything, I am the most suited man for someone of your worth and value. I have served this village for as long as I can remember. I have worked my way up the ranks of my own strength and willpower. I am of the highest rank in the mighty and unparalleled army of Suna. There is no one as commendable as I. Certainly not one of another village. If you think clearly, Princess, it was quite selfish and thoughtless of you to have a relationship with another man from another village."

Trying to control her temper, Temari replied in a carefully even tone, "However much I admire you for your skills and loyalty to our village, you have overstepped your boundaries in telling me what I should or should not do. Frankly, I do not want a high-handed husband. Which you are likely to be."

Takeshi turned quiet. Temari assumed he was stunned. But then he let out a burst of wild laughter. It was Temari's turn to be caught off guard. He had never acted in such a way that did not conform to proper decorum. Not that she could recall. "Oh you will marry me, Princess. Like it or not. I was being understanding until now but I thought you'd have more wits in that pretty little head of yours. Obviously, I was mistaken. I overestimated you, your Highness." The look he sent her was filled with condescension.

His true colors showed at last. She just did not expect it would be this ugly.

Temari shook with fury. "If your aim is to win me, you're failing miserably."

He laughed uproariously, wilder than before. "You still don't get it. It doesn't matter what you think. The elder and the council, they're all vouching for me. This soiree is just a front to make them look honourable and to appease Lord Gaara for what they did during the last round. Besides I only need to beat him and you won't need to make a choice." His superior and deranged expression sent unpleasant shivers down her spine.

She steeled herself. "You think I don't know that? And if you think you can beat Shikamaru easily, I feel sorry for you." She sneered at him.

Takeshi hissed furiously, his face contorting menacingly. "Is it because he was a hero? You have a thing for heroic beings, perhaps? Did you get carried away by the adrenaline of the war? Did you allow him to take you under the open night sky? Did you let him put his filthy hands up your skirt and fiddle you as if he had every right? Or perhaps you willingly hiked up your skirt and rode him to your heart's content? That's more your style, isn't it, aggressive woman that you are. Exactly how I like them too."

"You bastard." She moved to strike him but he held up a hand and went, "You don't want to be doing that. It might get Nara disqualified."

"How's that? When it's my fist on your face?" she snarled.

"You're not thinking. If I become unable to fight in the next round due to injuries caused by you, then everyone will suspect that it was planned by you and Nara. They will all think it's foul play. Do you really think that you will be able to get what you want this way?"

She ground her teeth, seething, knowing he was right.

He smirked infuriatingly and she longed to smack it off his face. "I am only saying this because I want to trounce him my way. Now shall we return under the public eye?"

"Asshole," she spat as she brushed past him and headed towards the ballroom by herself. But before she could reach the room, her arm was grabbed roughly and his fingers dug deep into her skin.

"I will not fail this round, so you would do well to stay by my side until my time is up, Princess." He then led her into the ballroom, all smiles for the crowd. And she tried to act similarly, trying to play the same game but it was difficult. Every muscle in her body was straining to prevent herself from ripping him apart piece by piece.

She was stiff as a board until they came face to face with Shikamaru, who was sending her a troubled look. She shook her head minutely. She did not want him to worry. Not now during this round.

Shikamaru bowed low before them and addressed Takeshi while looking at him directly, "I will take the Princess from here, Captain."

Takeshi bowed as well. "The Princess is all yours, Sir Nara," he said in a smooth and honeyed voice.

 _To be continued..._

Thank you so much to all my readers and reviewers especially DaX0315, fanofthisfiction, Axel0913, SnowHusky20, SariaKasumi, Rose-Aki, maxridelover. Thank you all for the encouragement. Much appreciated. ^_^


	12. Chapter 12

**Someone had to resort to 'extreme' means to get me to upload today. Please send a mental thanks to my friend for my finally getting this chapter done! Phew! Sorry for the month and a half (?) wait!**

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 _Just when I thought he could not surprise me again, he goes and does this,_ Temari thought in awe as she was spun around the room in Shikamaru's skilled arms.

Looking completely unaffected by the huge crowd, Shikamaru had placed his hands on hers and around her with a straight back and a confident stance. She followed suit, feeling strangely attracted to this new side of him. As the first notes of the waltz resounded into the air, he led her gently around the dance floor without missing a beat or taking even a tiny stumble.

It was not as elegant or refined as Takeshi's dancing skills but there was no doubt that Shikamaru knew the steps and techniques to this style of dancing. The footwork, the twirling, the leading.

What's more was that he looked quite at ease. It made her stare as if she was seeing a stranger in front of her. And it was really quite peculiar because she never would have pegged him for a dancer.

"Isn't it unladylike to maintain an open mouth, Princess?" Shikamaru teased with a smirk.

Startled and slightly embarrassed knowing there was a full crowd watching, she shut her mouth and studied him. There really was more to know about this man. "Don't call me that. And how are you able to dance like this?" she demanded.

He let out a soft snicker. "Took you long enough to ask," he said. And as soon as he did, he twirled her several times, rendering her incapable of replying for a while. It was just like him to ignore her impatience and answer her at his pace.

When they came face to face, Temari said breathlessly, "Tell me."

"I'll tell you later. For now, just enjoy this, okay?" Shikamaru had just given her a strange look. Like a mix of conflicting emotions. She wondered at the switch of emotions.

Thus she kept quiet and let herself be lead to dance and be lost in this new facet of this man. Which was both beguiling and frustrating. A bunch of questions were threatening to burst forth but she held them in.

How many more things did she not know about this man? With every new detail, she craved for more.

And he was really quite good at dancing. It bade her frustration good bye and she started to smile genuinely. And every time he twirled her about, she felt a rush of joy. And every time their eyes met, her heart raced faster than the beat of the song.

It was possible to keep falling for the same person. It was an incredible and overwhelming feeling.

And it was downright scary to think of losing him. And this tournament could definitely tear him away from her.

"Don't think. Just dance," Shikamaru murmured. Looking into his concerned eyes, she knew he felt the same desperation.

The weight of the ordeal hung like heavy mist in the mountains.

As they danced, she got a glimpse of her brothers. Kankuro had audaciously winked at her. The clown. Gaara had a tiny smile on his face that was detectable by only those who knew him.

And she remembered that she was also doing this for them.

They had to win.

With determined faces, they glided around the ballroom in perfect sync with the tune and no one could say that they did not make a wonderful scene. With Shikamaru, her steps were lighter and she felt absolute freedom in her movements.

As they danced, she saw the elder's frowning face, the look of delight on some people's faces, and the criticism on others.

During the last few minutes of the song, the elder signalled towards the crowd. Pairs joyfully joined the dance floor and the space filled up fairly quick.

The energy of the crowd was infectious. Soon, Shikamaru and Temari were also smiling and laughing.

Until someone bumped into Shikamaru's back. He stumbled forward a little bit but he caught himself and regained his footing. Then another man dug an elbow into his side none too gently. Shikamaru grunted and bore the pain. He saw a third man was trying to trip him and he swayed Temari away from the attack.

Temari and Shikamaru exchanged looks in realization, knowing that it was another trap. They also noticed that the elder and council members were turning a blind eye to their situation. Not surprising.

They continued to dance but inched away from the bullies. Yet the men continued to catch up to them.

"Wait, let me handle this," Shikamaru said before a shadow shot out from under his feet and made a swiping arc. The series of bullying men fell forward into their dance partners. Some cursed, some yelped.

Temari chuckled. Served them right.

Then her eyes narrowed as the men tried to get close once more. Shikamaru's shadow twisted about their legs and made them bump and stumble into each other. The men swore soundly as they tried to detangle their legs from each other. Some ended up kicking each other in the mess. Some crawled out of the fiasco. Some were pulled out by their female dance partners.

As soon as they did, determination was still on the men's faces and Temari knew they would come at them again.

The music was entering its last phrases, Temari noted. _Time to make a big finish._

"Shikamaru, twirl me and hold on."

He nodded and promptly executed. As Temari spun, she let out a wave of wind strong enough to knock the men onto their behinds.

As they fell, the space around the two cleared and the whole crowd was able to witness their finishing move as the last note hung in the air. The crowd broke into a thunderous applause as Shikamaru bowed and Temari curtsied.

Temari glimpsed Takeshi's glowering form at the side of the ballroom. But he soon disappeared.

As he did, they were given the go signal to venture outside. There was a lack of expression on the elder's face.

As soon as they were alone into the midst of the various statues, Temari grinned and announced, "Well, that was fun."

Shikamaru smirked, "That it was."

"Good work."

"You didn't do so bad either."

"I was the best, of course."

"Definitely."

They both chuckled.

"Tell me how you learned to dance?" Curiosity and impatience had Temari blurting the words out.

A smile that was not quite the smile she was hoping to see on his face appeared. "Dad. He taught me since I was a kid."

His father. Shikaku. Who died in the latest war. She swallowed. "I thought it would be your mother."

He smiled wryly. "Yeah that would be what everyone would think. And dad would probably prefer it that way too."

"But of course you would not."

He made an affirming sound. "No one else knew that he could dance. But it was somewhat a pride of his as well. So it was quite a contradiction."

"Why didn't he want anyone else to know?"

"Male pride, I suppose. Ninjas did not dance or something along the lines. That was the old way of thinking."

"I see."

Shikamaru suddenly grasped her hand while looking up. "It was the one surefire way to calm mom down and to make her happy."

Temari smiled sadly. It was a bittersweet memory.

"You know what else he said?"

"What did he say?"

"Dad said that he taught it to me so that I could also use it on my own troublesome woman." Shikamaru looked at her and grinned even though it didn't reach his eyes.

Temari squeezed his hands and closed in to give him an embrace. "Well, he did right."

000

When Shikamaru made his way back to his room, he entered his room and was about to take his clothes off when the door slammed shut. He spun on the balls of his feet, about to lower into a fighting stance, when he stopped short to see Temari in front of him.

He relaxed, chuckled, saying, "Eager tonight?"

Either he or she would usually go to each other's room around midnight to lessen the risk of being seen by others. She was early by a quarter of an hour.

With a cat-like smile, Temari strolled towards him with distinctly swaying hips.

He stared as she came closer. There was a certain hypnotic allure to her movements tonight. And there was a rather feral gleam in her eyes that he couldn't quite look away.

"Tem?" he asked uncertainly as she placed a hand on his chest and started caressing.

"Shhh," she hushed him as she began to push him backwards towards the bed.

The back of his knees hit the side of the bed and she gave a rough shove and he landed smack at the center of the bed.

He never minded her rough tendencies, he actually expected them. It meant that he did not have to do much because she took charge and he absolutely relished that.

He watched with lidded eyes as she hovered over him by the side of the bed.

A slow smirk spread over her face as she toyed with the buttons of her dress.

"What are you waiting for?" Shikamaru huskily asked before he started to reach out for her.

She pushed his hands away, tsking. But a second later, her leg swung over him. Straddling him, she unbuttoned her clothes while keeping eye contact with him.

As she did that, he crept his hands along her lower legs, climbing upwards.

She was completely bare when she parted her dress and he clutched onto her thighs, fingers digging hard.

Leaning towards him, she placed his hands on her hips, then grasping them to flatten them over the planes of her abdomen, she slowly slid them upwards towards her chest until his hands were cupping the mounds.

The door creaked open and he whipped his head towards it.

He watched in horror as Temari entered the room and froze.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Temari almost roared, hands clenched into fists.

Shikamaru shoved away the Temari on top of him and stared between the two.

The Temari next to him hastily put on her clothes and was about to make her way towards the window but the Temari who just entered the room let out a gust of wind which sent the other Temari sailing through the air and smacked hard against the wall.

Shikamaru was able to hold onto the frame of the bed but now a sinking feeling filled him as he realized that he had been seduced by a pseudo Temari.

That sinking feeling was soon replaced by a feeling of dread as he slowly turned towards the real Temari. And soon wished he had not.

Fury filled her eyes. But they were directed towards the other Temari whose facade has now faded to reveal a curvaceous lady clothed in red satin.

"Who's that?" he blurted out.

Temari didn't flinch as she bent down and grasped the girl's hair up to reveal her face and explained too calmly, "The famed rouge mistress. A seductress for hire. An expert at copy ninja technique down to their chakra signature."

He let the facts sink in. Then he slowly said, "So someone hired her to come to me?"

"Brilliant deduction," she said dryly.

He flinched. "You're not mad, are you?"

"Why would I be? I only see my fiancé getting it on with someone else."

"Someone who looked and felt exactly like you, woman! She even moved like you!"

"You don't have very good instincts then, do you? You're a shinobi! Even if she has excellent chakra-copying technique, you should have had some way of detecting that it was not me!"

"And how was I supposed to do that? Even you can't pinpoint a specific technique that I could have used in the situation even if I had some inkling that it was not you! As I said, she looked and acted like you so I wouldn't have even thought to do anything else. " He looked at her, silently pleading with her to understand but at the same time frustrated with her unyielding stance.

"Never mind. I need to take care of this mess." Temari dragged the woman away from the room, leaving Shikamaru in the darkness of the room, feeling just the littlest of guilt.

It made no sense however. This guilt. He was fooled into thinking the woman was his fiancé. How could it be his fault?

He grasped his hair tightly in frustration. Why did women have to twist the situation about and make it more complicated than it really was? How will this affect their situation now? When he was fighting his all just for her, for them?

Wait a second. Someone tried to sabotage him.

A look of grim determination swept over his face.

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"You won't talk?" Temari said to the tied up red lady. Kankuro and Gaara stood beside her. They had brought her to the interrogation room.

The red lady just stared back balefully.

"Maybe you can leave her with me, sis..." Kankuro said thoughtfully, staring at the red lady.

Temari snorted. "Men," she spat.

"So you believe this woman was hired by the elder or any one of the council members?" Gaara murmured to Temari after they left the room.

She nodded. "Yeah."

"If that is the case, it is treason. And a clear violation of our tournament agreement."

"I know. But I don't want to win this way. The pubic won't accept such a win if Shikamaru won't show his true skills and beat Takeshi on his own."

Gaara gave a nod of understanding. "They must still face punishment however."

"Yes, but after the tournament. And after we make this bitch talk."

"But we've already tried every means short of physical torture and she won't budge. So how?" Kankuro asked.

"Don't worry I know someone who will be able to help. It will just take her awhile to get here however."

Kankuro interjected, "Oh you mean her?"

"Yeah."

"Why did they make such a risky move though? Sending this seductress woman to get between the two of you?" Gaara asked pensively.

"I assumed the objective was to make us fight upon my discovery of them tangled up in such a manner. In hopes of breaking our relationship," Temari said with a glower.

Kankuro said thoughtlessly, "Would've liked to see that! Ouch!" Temari had smacked him upside the head, glaring. "Then again, why would I wanna see her as you doing that to him?" He held his hands up in surrender.

Gaara ignored his brother, observed her and said slowly, "And did she complete her objective?"

"Of course not! Such a small, vile obstacle could not hope to break us," Temari growled.

"Then why are you so angry?" Kankuro asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"Who wouldn't be when ambushed like this?" Temari retorted.

"It was Shikamaru who was ambushed. Not that I'd mind the treatment myself," Kankuro said slyly.

"Arggh!" Temari half-screamed, half-growled in frustration at her brother and stormed off to her room.

"I do not think you should have said that," Gaara mused.

"It's not me she's mad at, trust me," Kankuro said knowingly.

"How do you know?"

"Cause that's how women are, brother. You'll learn."

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 **Thanks for the awesome reviewers: Gurpreet Singh, ShikaTemari, Guest one and two, SlackingNara, bunnyguest, Rose-Aki, fanofthisfiction, spilihp17, Axel0913.**

 **Thank you also to everyone who is continuing to support this story! Sorry for the rushed notes as I still have a trip to get ready for tomorrow! Have a nice weekend everyone!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I seriously did not realize it was over a year since I last updated this story. I am SO SORRY! I hope there are still some of you willing to read this. I am really grateful to those who left reviews and messages in my inbox telling me to update and how they love the story. You guys have motivated me to try and finish this story. (fingers crossed)(hopefully I still got my writing mojo) Thank you very much to all of you! :)**

"Where is she?" Shikamaru muttered. He had been wandering around the corridors looking for the blonde ninja. Knowing that they needed to talk about what happened last night. He knew her well. She was not going to be easy to deal with until he cleared things out with her.

Wild cheers exploded from the inner walls of the stadium which made him pause and pivot towards the noise. As he reached the arched doorway, his dark eyes instantly pinpointed the dirty blonde beauty in the middle of all the chaos.

"Who's next?" Temari hollered, hefting her fan over her shoulder with ease.

He continued to stand in place, wondering what in the world was going on.

Kankuro took notice of him, smirked, and commented, "About time you got here. She's destroying them all."

"What do you mean? And why is that?" the leaf ninja replied in a wary tone. A sense of foreboding crept up his spine.

Kankuro's eyebrow lifted, amused. "You really don't know?"

"I have an idea but..."

"Good. Then all you need to know now is she's defeated about twelve soldiers and she's still raring to go." Kankuro savagely enjoyed the effects of his words as Shikamaru swallowed visibly.

Kankuro cupped his hands around his mouth and roared, "Okay soldiers, all of you, out!"

At that, everyone halted and with obvious relief, they started to shuffle out. Plenty of them glancing at Shikamaru and whispering.

Shikamaru stiffened until the last of the soldiers passed through the exit.

"What did you do that for, Kankuro?!" Temari growled.

"Don't beat him up too much, Tem. Remember that he still has a tournament to attend!" Kankuro chuckled as he went off.

Shikamaru turned to face Temari fully. "I'm not here to fight."

"That's too bad. You may leave then."

"We need to talk."

"This is not a place for such activity. This venue has one purpose and one purpose only." A cool gaze Temari sported.

Shikamaru paused, taking in her unyielding stance. He murmured, "So be it. I'll give you what you want."

He strode towards her with unnerving determination in his eyes. Her jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed. He felt a sense of perverted satisfaction in making her react that way.

And before he could take another step, her fan snapped open and swung. A tremendous gust of wind almost flipped him over but he stood his ground, bracing his hands and feet into the sand. He grit his teeth, trying to think of what to do.

Her wind was relentless however. It went on and on. And there was nowhere for him to go because it was an open desert arena.

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She smirked. She knew she had him. It was her territory.

Until he collapsed onto the ground. She stared. Unable to believe it. Was it a trick? It must be.

Yet his body remained on the ground like a lightweight puppet abandoned by its master. It started to roll about and smacked about. Dirt all over his face. And entering his clothes.

She refused to get near. If she got near enough, she knew his shadow technique would get her.

But what if it was not a trick? What if that witch last night had somehow sapped his energy?

The thought just made her more furious. At the witch? Or at him? She did not know.

The frustration of not knowing her own feelings just made her lash out more.

Her gust grew steadily stronger. And his body lifted and smacked to the back wall of the arena then slipped down like a ragdoll.

She stopped. No matter if there was a chance that he was conscious. She was not this cold of heart.

"Get up and fight!" she yelled in frustration. "I know you're not unconscious."

He did not make a single twitch.

Worried but still suspicious, she took a few steps towards him.

In an instant, she was paralyzed. At her peripheral vision, she saw him rise from the ground and walk towards her. She shook with fury and embarrassment.

Her glare burned.

"Sorry, Tem. This was the only way," he said unapologetically with a slight grin.

"Let me go, you cheat," she spat.

"Hey, I got you good and you know it. In a real battle, there are no rules and you'd have been defeated."

The glare that she shot him might as well have roasted him on the spot. Her silence however signaled her reluctant agreement.

If he was trying to win her however, he was not doing a superb job at all.

"Okay, I'll let you go if you let us have a proper talk." A few seconds after he released his shadow bonds however, she sprinted forward to charge him.

Knowing her, he captured her yet again.

"Tem, you're making me do this the hard way."

"You know you'll run out of chakra soon enough."

"True. Which is why we talk now."

She shrugged.

"Why are you being so stubborn?" he grumbled.

She glared at him. "There is nothing to say."

"On the contrary, judging your behaviour, it's the exact opposite."

"There is nothing wrong with my behaviour."

He raised his brows incredulously. "You just trounced twelve soldiers, according to Kankuro."

"It's called exercise. You might wanna try it sometime." Temari drawled.

"No thanks," he said with a shudder. Then he threw her a calculating look. "We exercise enough together, don't you think."

He felt her transformation from haughty heatedness to cool disdain.

"I have had enough of this empty conversation. Let me go before I lose it."

The icy tone made him pause and hesitate. He withdrew his shadows reluctantly.

As soon as his shadows loosened, Temari attacked head on. In plain combat. Leaving her tessen behind her, she threw a full force roundhouse kick to his head.

Having anticipated that, Shikamaru ducked in the nick of time. But she followed through with a spinning back hook kick, he hopped backwards, his head just barely escaped.

Growling, she threw a combination of straight punches and undercuts and various swings. He managed to block almost all of them until one went past his defences and caught him in the solar plexus. He doubled over. Looking up, he saw her expression did not change. Not a hint of triumph.

"Don't pretend you're defeated. Let's continue," Temari spoke without emotion.

He was not fooled. His breathing was uneven. "Are you truly mad at me about last night? You know me. You know I wouldn't betray you. You know that. Why are you acting this way?" he asked with a hint of pleading and breathlessness.

There was beat of silence. A hint of emotion stirred Temari's face against her will. "Do you think I want to act this way?" she whispered harshly. "Do you think I want to act like a deranged woman? A lunatic?"

He didn't answer. He waited, coaxing her to go on.

"That woman," she spat. "She described all the ways you touched her, just as you've always touched me. Said how much you enjoyed it. How full of animation your face was."

He winced.

"I just can't comprehend why one of the greatest heroes of the Shinobi War couldn't detect that it wasn't me. Maybe you just went along with her scheme?" she sarcastically said.

"You know I wouldn't!" he protested. "You yourself said that it was her craft. Something she has been doing for years. Disguising as other people down to their chakra. How could I have known that it wasn't you?"

"Instinct. Gut instinct. Every ninja has been taught to listen well to their gut."

He heaved a huge sigh. "Temari, instinct versus a perfectly honed skill can very much fail. And has been proven to fail at times."

"You sound more defensive than apologetic," Temari deadpanned. "A mark of a person with guilt."

He gritted his teeth against the unfair verbal jab. "I am sorry that you had to see that. But I am not sorry that I acted that way. Because I had no reason to believe that it wasn't you."

"Enough." Darkness descended over her facial features. "Leave me alone."

"Temari." Shikamaru stepped forward, a hand reaching out, concerned and bewildered.

Wild, enraged sparks flew from her eyes, stopping him in his tracks.

Resigned, he turned and left.

Dropping to her knees, she started to shake uncontrollably and punched the sand repeatedly until her energy was completely drained and she lay limply in the dirt. Uncaring of all the sand seeping in through her clothes.

She stared blankly into the horizon for a long time.

"Stupid," she whispered before closing her eyes.

A/N: Thank you for reading! :)


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